A South Korean firm one of the world’s largest shipbuilder, will finally build two brand new Philippine frigate warships which will soon be the most modern surface combatant sea assets of the Philippine Navy.
According to the Department of National Defense (DND), the Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) today October 24, finally signed a contract to build two 2,600 ton frigates.
The signing ceremony was attended by Mr. Chung Ki-sun, executive vice president of Corporate Planning Office of HHI, Mr. Delfin Lorenzana, Philippines’ Defense Secretary and Mr. Kim Jai- shin, Korean Ambassador to the Philippines and other guests.
The frigates will be designed to be a smaller light combatant and successor to the Incheon class frigate which is now in active service for ROKN tailored to the requirement of the Philippine Navy with applying an optimized range of good marine standard under naval rule from Lloyd Register, classification society.
The 107-meter frigates to be propelled with CODAD (Combined Diesel and Diesel) propulsion system with a maximum speed of 25knots can cover a 4,500 nautical miles range at cruising speed of 15 knots. The naval vessels will inherit the enhanced survivability, seakeeping and maneuvering capability of her mother ship operable up to Sea State 5.
The frigates will heavily be armed with missiles, torpedo, guns and sensors controlled by the latest combat management system are capable of conducting Anti-Air Warfare, Anti-Surface Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare and Electronic Warfare.
The frigates are scheduled to be handed to the Philippines starting from 2020. -JCE
