Duncan Looi
THE Philippine Navy marked another milestone in its modernisation programme with the launching of its third Rajah-Sulayman-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV), the future BRP Rajah Humabon on October 13 in Ulsan, South Korea.
PN Flag Officer in Command (FOIC) Vice Admiral Jose Ma Ambrosio Q Ezpeleta, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Vice Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Rommel Roldan together with other defence and company officials attended the ceremony which marked the shipbuilder’s first export naval vessel launch this year. The Rajah Humabon is named after Rajah Humabon, a 16th-century chieftain who ruled Cebu Island when Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived in 1521 and reportedly credited with introducing Christianity to the country.
Built by South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI), the 2,400-tonne Rajah Sulayman-class consists of six vessels, with the lead vessel being commissioned this February which the company said was delivered five months ahead of schedule while the second ship–the Rajah Lakandula was commissioned in June. The Rajah Humabon is expected to be delivered in February 2027 while the three remaining vessels are scheduled for sequential delivery through 2028. The remaining ships are to be named Sultan Kudarat, Datu Marikudo and Datu Sikatuna.
To date, HD HHI has received orders for 12 vessels for the Philippines’ naval modernisation plans since the company won its first order for the PN in 2016. The 12 ships ordered include the six Rajah Sulayman OPVs and the 3,200-tonne Miguel Malvar-class comprising the lead ship BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Diego Silang which are both in service together with the two 2,600-tonne Jose Rizal-class frigates BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna. It was announced last December that the Philippines won another contract to build two more vessels in the Miguel Malvar-class to be delivered by the second half of 2029.
Equipped with advanced anti-submarine acoustic detection and configurable mission module spaces, the Rajah Sulayman-class vessels are designed for maritime surveillance, security operations, and naval missions. Armaments onboard include a 76mm main gun, 30mm secondary gun, decoy launching system, search radar and electro-optical tracking equipment.
The launching of the future BRP Rajah Humabon reflects the PN’s continuing commitment to building a modern and responsive fleet, strengthening strategic partnerships, and enhancing its capabilities to protect the country’s maritime interests and uphold national sovereignty in service of the Filipino people.-–shp/adj/dl (Pix:PN)
