Manila – The Philippine Navy (PN) has announced that South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) has officially commenced the construction of its two missile corvettes.
According to Philippines News Agency, Benjo Negranza, Navy flag officer-in-command (FOIC) Vice Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr. and other officials attended the keel-laying ceremony for the first missile corvette and the steel cutting for the second one at HD HHI’s shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, on November 22.
Negranza highlighted the significance of the steel cutting and keel laying ceremonies in marking the start of production for the two corvettes, poised to bolster the PN’s naval defense capabilities. The construction of the corvettes involves modern weapons, sensors, and systems, enabling them to perform anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare operations and operate independently or as part of a surface action group.
The first corvette is expected to be delivered in 2025, followed by the second in 2026. The Department of National Defense signed a PHP28-billion contract with HHI on December 27, 2021, for the acquisition of the corvettes, which will supplement the PN’s two Jose Rizal-class frigates, also built by HD HHI.
Negranza emphasized the value of these new capabilities in enhancing the PN’s defense posture and contributing to the protection of the Philippines’ sovereign rights and national maritime interests.
