The Philippine Navy is set to receive the Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS), a self-sustained, unmanned Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) system from United States government in a turnover ceremony in Zambales next week.

In a press advisory issued Friday, Capt. Lued Lincuna, Philippine Navy spokesman, said the ceremony will be graced by US Deputy Embassy Chief of Mission to the Philippines Michael Klescheski and Philippine Navy Flag Officer In Command, Vice Adm. Joseph Ronald Mercado.

“It is expected to enhance the PN’s capability in Maritime Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance by effectively detecting maritime and air traffic within the country’s coastal waters using sensors,” Lincuna said.

“Moreover, it will also be utilized in the conduct of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) operations,” he noted.

“The TARS also includes a weather station that provides telemetry data to the ground station for the monitoring of ambient temperature, pressure, wind speed and other pertinent parameters in the operation of the system,” he added. Robina Asido/DMS