Philippines In The Market For Additional Frigates

THE Philippines is actively on the hunt for two additional frigates for the Philippine Navy (PN), with the US$294 million planned procurement of two new frigates and armaments “in the discussion phase” according to the service’s spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad.

This comes after the PN officially commissioned its latest Miguel Malvar-class guided missile frigate–the BRP Diego Silang which arrived from South Korea in early September. Built by the world’s largest shipbuilders–HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), the class’s lead vessel BRP Miguel Malvar arrived this April and was commissioned on May 20. This also raises the likeliness of HHI receiving a further order of 2 more frigates in the class.

On top of that, the Diego Silang is the 5,000th vessel delivered by HD HHI, marking the first time in global shipbuilding history that a single company has reached this number. According to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines, this achievement represents a shared moment of pride for both South Korea and the Philippines.

Commissioning of the ship was held at Zambales’ Naval Operating Base Subic and attended by the PN Flag Officer In Command Vice Admiral Jose Ma Ambrosio Q Ezpeleta together with top brass from the Department of National Defense (DND), the Navy and HD HHI.

Both vessels are equipped with state-of-the-art armaments and sensors to be employed against surface, sub-surface and aerial targets including a 3D Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. The ships have 16-cell vertical launching systems (VLS) which are armed with MBDA’s VL MICA surface-to-air missiles (SAM), a 76mm main gun, a twin-barrel 35mm Aselsan Gokdeniz close-in weapon system (CIWS), and South Korean SSM-700K C-Star anti-ship cruise missile (ASM).

A PN statement read, “This warship will add to the capital ships of the PN that are capable of patrolling all the way up to our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and even beyond”. The ships were ordered in December 2021 in a US$483 million deal and reinforce the PN’s guided missile frigates BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna.

According to the DND, the Diego Silang will take part in next year’s Balikatan Exercises with the United States as it will now undergo “several battle-readiness evaluations in order to test for its capability development, for the enhancement of the competencies, not only of the people but also the proficiency of the whole ship in the performance of various warfare serials or warfare activities”.

Additionally, the PN added that it awaits the delivery of close to 10 warships over the next few years, including six Rajah Sulayman-class offshore patrol vessels (OPV) also being built by HD HHI to enter service by 2028. The first two vessels, the Rajah Sulayman and Rajah Lakandula have been completed and are currently undergoing sea trials. The Rajah Lakandula was launched just last month in HD HHI’s Ulsan shipyard ahead of schedule.

Then, the additional pair of Tarlac-class landing platform dock (LPD) vessels currently being constructed by Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL. This builds on the first two vessels, BRP Tarlac and BRP Davao Del Sur which were delivered by PT PAL between 2016 and 2017.

The Philippines has been in the market for submarines for some time, with reports that France’s Naval Group, South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, Spain’s Navantia Germany’s tKMS and Italy’s Fincantieri among those vying for the deal.

Slated for September 2-4 2026, the sixth Asian Defense and Security (ADAS) is set to take place in Metro Manila’s World Trade Center at a crucial point in time where the Philippines looks to keep its momentum going and continue rapidly modernising its armed forces in its shift towards external defence.–-shp/adj/dl (Pix:PN)