Philippines completes Thitu landing ramp; next up is airstrip
A recently upgraded landing ramp on Thitu Island (referred to as Pag-asa Island by its owner the Philippines) in the South China Sea was turned over to the government on 9 June.
Funded by the Department of National Defense, the facility is expected to improve accessibility to the island 451km from the mainland, and will allow landing craft and small ships of the Philippine Navy (PN) to land and dock there. Indeed, a first PN vessel arrived there in May.
Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana and the armed forces’ Chief of Staff Gen Felimon Santos attended the formal reception ceremony
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![US Navy’s MUSV programme could lay the USV procurement blueprint for NATO allies]()
US Navy’s MUSV programme could lay the USV procurement blueprint for NATO allies
The programme’s structure as a marketplace will allow multiple companies to compete for ongoing procurements; an approach which could be replicated across the Atlantic.
-
![Funding for the future US Navy Trump-class battleship sparks controversy in Congress]()
Funding for the future US Navy Trump-class battleship sparks controversy in Congress
Lawmakers question the US Navy’s proposed $2 billion investment in the Trump-class battleship as concerns over cost, technology maturity and operational relevance fuel growing bipartisan scrutiny on Capitol Hill.
-
![Germany sinks F126 frigate programme in favour of cheaper MEKO A-200]()
Germany sinks F126 frigate programme in favour of cheaper MEKO A-200
On 24 June 2026, the German Ministry of Defence announced it was cancelling the F126 frigate programme in favour of procuring eight MEKO A-200 DEU frigates.
-
![UK’s Type 31 frigate balances cost pressure with long-term export ambition]()
UK’s Type 31 frigate balances cost pressure with long-term export ambition
The UK shipbuilder’s full-year results to the end of March revealed the impact of the £140 million charge linked to design changes and rework on the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigate programme.
