The Philippine Navy is slated to acquire two brand new missile corvettes between 2025 and 2026 while two offshore patrol vessels are set to come from 2026 to 2028, according to a Navy official on Wednesday.
PN vice commander Rear Adm. Caesar Bernard Valencia said that the incoming new navy vessels in the country is part of the corvette acquisition program of the Department of National Defense with the South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries awarded on 28 December 2021.
"We have a lot of naval ships coming in. In 2025 and 2026, we will be receiving two brand-new corvettes from South Korea. These ships are brand new," Valencia said in a radio interview.
The navy official said the brand corvettes are expected to reinforce the two Jose Rizal-class missile frigates that are in service — the BRP Jose Rizal and the BRP Antonio Luna.
According to Valencia, these incoming corvettes, designed to be capable of conducting anti-ship, anti-submarine and anti-air warfare missions are worth P28 billion and on top of it is the acquisition of brand-new offshore patrol vessels or OPVs worth P30 billion, which was also awarded to HHI on 28 June 2022.
"Come 2026-2028, we expect to receive six more brand new OPVs, the main purpose of the OPV is to patrol the seas," Valencia said.