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DSA 2022: Philippines abandons long-cherished plan to buy Austal OPVs

28th March 2022 - 04:05 GMT | by Gordon Arthur in Christchurch

RSS

Austal is well in the frame to build six OPVs for the Philippines, but no contract has been signed yet. (Austal)

After casting Austal adrift, the Philippines will now look to a different overseas shipyard to build six OPVs.

The Philippine Navy (PN) voiced plans to buy six OPVs several years ago, with the plan approved by the government in 2018. The frontrunner was always Austal, but the Australian shipbuilder has now been pipped at the post.

On 23 March, Austal announced Manila’s decision not to proceed with the purchase of Austal-built vessels.

‘Austal has been advised by the PN that the PN has now decided to sole-source foreign-built OPVs rather than proceeding to purchase Austal-built vessels facilitated through the government-to-government memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth of Australia,’ the company said in a statement.

The plan was for

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