No shortlist yet for submarine acquisition: AFP official

“But I cannot at this point say if there is a shortlist that has been done because there is none at all,” he disclosed. (PNA file Photo)

MANILA — The government has yet to come up with a shortlist of countries it can acquire its first-ever diesel electric submarines from.

This was confirmed by AFP deputy chief-of-staff for plans Major Gen. Restituto Padilla on Monday when asked where the country is planning to source the new naval vessel.

“Well it’s simple as a search in the Google search engine where you find a lot of submarine producing countries so they are still part of the long list of countries that you may consider to get the submarine from,” Padilla noted.

Padilla said this includes the Nordic countries, Russia, and all other nations  producing the stealthy craft.

“But I cannot at this point say if there is a shortlist that has been done because there is none at all,” he disclosed.

Earlier, Padilla mentioned that the AFP modernization, which is on a three Horizon capability build-up, is already on the Second Horizon or the starting point for completing all the requirements to meet internal and external security challenges.

“So this why you may have heard recently that the keel-laying ceremony for our frigate that was ordered from South Korea has been announced and that in essence by 2020 if I’m not mistaken, the delivery of the first working frigate of the Philippine Navy will be in the offing. As to the submarine capability buildup this is very long term development, it is not something that we can get off the shelf, it is a capability that needs to be slowly, deliberately and in consultation with our allies, the United States included,” he added.

With this, the decision on whether to acquire submarines will be made in due time, Padilla stressed.