The Philippines strengthens maritime defences amid rising tensions in South China Sea
BRP Miguel Malvar was welcomed in a formal ceremony at the Subic Naval Base on 8 April. (Photo: Philippine Navy)
The Philippine Navy is fast-tracking its maritime modernisation with new warships, unmanned platforms, and international shipbuilding partnerships to bolster its regional deterrence posture.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) has completed the first of two corvettes for the Philippine Navy (PN) some five months ahead of schedule. The 3,200t BRP Miguel Malvar was handed over late last month before commencing its delivery voyage to the Philippines.
FFG-06, the PN’s most capable warship ever, was formally welcomed at a ceremony in Subic Naval Base earlier this month April, with its commissioning expected midyear. The HDF-3200-based design bears the nomenclature of a guided-missile frigate indicating that the Philippines has reclassified it from a corvette.
The warships had been ordered for PHP28 billion (US$550 million) on
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Ireland releases maritime strategy as it looks to new naval bases and stronger partnerships]()
Ireland releases maritime strategy as it looks to new naval bases and stronger partnerships
Ireland has a maritime area ten times the size of its land mass but has a limited naval capacity and faces an ongoing threat to critical underwater infrastructure. A new strategy is looking to address the challenge.
-
![US Navy to deploy UAVs with standard munitions in long-range strikes]()
US Navy to deploy UAVs with standard munitions in long-range strikes
As part of the Runway Independent Maritime & Expeditionary Strike programme, the US Navy is pursuing drones capable of delivering palletised rounds or 1,000lb-class munitions.
-
![Turkey targets Italian market with strategic partnership on USVs and hybrid platforms]()
Turkey targets Italian market with strategic partnership on USVs and hybrid platforms
Havelsan, VN Maritime and Piloda Defence will collaborate to develop and integrate a range of maritime solutions with a view to secure a first procurement contract in Italy in the first half of this year.
