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Controller Operated Battle Ready Armament/COBRA
Philippine Army soldier works the bolt of the M2 Browning mounted on COBRA.
TypeRemote controlled weapon station
Place of originPhilippines
Service history
Used byPhilippines
Production history
DesignerRodnel O. Tamayo
Designed2022-2024
ManufacturerMetal Industry Research and Development Center, Department of Science and Technology
Unit costP8 million to P10 million (Estimates)
Produced2022-Present
No. built20 (Initial production)
Specifications
Shell.50 BMG
ActionShort recoil-operated
Traverse360
SightsIntegrated day/night/thermal camera

The Controller Operated Battle Ready Armament[a] or COBRA is a Philippine-made Remote controlled weapon station (RCWS) made by the Metal Industry Research and Development Center under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The COBRA was publicly unveiled on December 11, 2025, during a live fire drill at Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac.

Development of the RCWS was meant to be support the Armed Forces of the Philippines' modernization program and the Self-Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) program[3][4] under Republic Act No. 12024 or the Self Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) Revitalization Act.[5]

According to DOST–MIRDC Prototyping Division Chief and Project Leader Engineer Rodnel Tamayo, most of COBRA's components were made from locally made parts.[6]

History

[edit]
M113 APC General Luis Malinis with the mounted COBRA fired during live drills in Camp O' Donnell.

Development of the COBRA started from November 2022 when a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed by the DOST and the Philippine Army (PA) with the Mechatronics and Robotics Society of the Philippines (MRSP) to financially support the development and eventual production of the RCWS.[7] The DOST and PA provided funds for research and development into COBRA with the former providing PHP 24,286,705.60 from 2023 to 2024 while the latter provided PHP 5,000,000 for 2024 with a total of PHP 29,286,705.60.[b][7] The agreement was based on the success of Project BUHAWI (Building a Universal Mount for Heavy-Barrel Automated Weapon), which was developed from 2019 and turned over in 2022 to the Philippine Navy.[3]

On December 11, 2025, a live fire drill was conducted in Camp O' Donnell with the participation of the Armor "Pambato" Division.[9] The system was turned over to the PA after the end of the drills.[1] Among the guests present to watch the drills included Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.[10]

According to Tamayo, around five anonymous companies have indicated willingness to produce the COBRA through submitted letters of intent.[5] He also stated an estimated cost could be from PHP8 million to PHP10 million each if the COBRA was produced in batches of 20 each.[5] It was reported that 20 COBRAS are planned to be adopted.[5]

Jose Antonio Goitia, chairman emeritus of four civic oriented groups that include Filipinos Do Not Yield (FDNY) Movement, stated that the creation of COBRA would allow the country to design, develop and maintain its own assets.[11] The DOST hopes that the COBRA would lead to job creation in the local defense industry, foreign exchange savings and potential export of military hardware.[7]

Arnaud Leveau of Paris Dauphine University warned that self-reliance should be done beyond prototypes and demos and said without "predictable procurement and long-term sustainment planning, even well-designed local systems risk remaining more symbolic than transformative."[8]

Development

[edit]
The Project COBRA team pose with in the photo after the success of the live fire drills with DND Undersecretary Rene Diaz (fourth from left), DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. (fifth from left), General Antonio Nafarrete (sixth from left) with other DND officials and MRSP members.

COBRA was made to support the installation and use of a .50 BMG-based heavy machine gun (HMG).[5][12] COBRA can be used with a 360 degree direction with tracking at a rate of 30 kilometers/hour.[5] Tamayo stated that the COBRA was tested in various field conditions prior to the live drill at Camp O' Donnell.[5]

It can be used remotely from vehicles and structures, allowing users to fire them safely without being caught under enemy fire.[13][14] A controller is used to control the COBRA mount.[11]

The system features a remote-operated and stabilized weapon mount, an integrated day/night/thermal camera, a laser range finder and a ballistic computer.[15]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Known as Controller-Operated Battle Ready Armament or Controller Operated Battle-Ready Armament in other sources.[1][2]
  2. ^ Reported to be USD$495,000.[8]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Gabryelle Dumalag (2025-12-13). "DND adopts weapons system developed by DOST". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  2. ^ Ana Marie Pamintuan (2025-12-29). "Self-reliant defense". Philippine Star. Archived from the original on 2026-01-01. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  3. ^ a b "This project will equip Army armored vehicles with locally produced gun mounts". Manila Bulletin. 2022-11-27. Archived from the original on 2026-01-01. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  4. ^ Brian Campued (2025-12-12). "PH Army eyes to put DOST's automated gun mount on all armored vehicles". PTV News.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Bianca Dava (2025-12-11). "DOST-developed COBRA weapon system turned over to DND". ABS-CBN. Archived from the original on 2025-12-12. Retrieved 2025-12-12.
  6. ^ Kai H. Negado (2025-12-13). "DOST's COBRA Technology Turnover Opens New Opportunities for Philippine Manufacturing and Defense Industries". Metals Industry Research and Development Center.
  7. ^ a b c Rosemarie C. Señora. "DOST, PH Army, MRSP sign agreement for Project COBRA towards a self-reliant PH defense" (PDF). S&T Post. p. 41. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2026-01-01. Retrieved 2025-12-31.
  8. ^ a b Jeoffrey Maitem (2025-12-17). "Why the Philippine Army is turning to locally built remote weapons systems". South China Morning Post.
  9. ^ "Philippine Army receives locally made Project COBRA from DOST". Philippine Army. 2025-12-11.
  10. ^ Eunice Gayamo (2025-12-14). "Locally developed remote weapon system turned over to DND". News5.
  11. ^ a b Aaron Recuenco (2025-12-13). "Government urged to invest more on locally-made weapons after success of Project COBRA". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2026-01-02. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  12. ^ Martin Sadongdong (2022-11-27). "This project will equip Army armored vehicles with locally produced gun mounts". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2026-01-01. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  13. ^ Martin Sadongdong (2025-12-12). "'Galing ng Pinoy!' PH Army ushers in age of robots, 'COBRA'". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2026-01-01.
  14. ^ Allan Mauro V. Marfal (2022-11-22). "DOST provides R&D based innovations to enhance DND's self-reliant defense posture program". S&T Post.
  15. ^ Kai H. Negado (2025-12-11). "PH Army Receives Remote Control Weapons System Developed by the DOST". Metals Industry Research and Development Center.