S. Korean firm to deliver PH’s 1st missile corvette in 2025

FILE: BOOSTING THE FLEET. The Philippine Navy’s missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna while patrolling the West Philippine Sea on Sept. 22, 2023. The BRP Antonio Luna is one of the two Jose Rizal-class frigates that will be backed up by the two missile corvettes being constructed by HHI. (Photo: Western Command Armed Forces of the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA – South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) said one of the two missile corvettes ordered by the Philippine Navy (PN) will be delivered by 2025 with the second in the following year.

“We plan to deliver the first corvette by 2025 and the second corvette by 2026. HHI is on track for the target delivery dates as the construction of the vessels are on time,” the company said in reply to the Philippine News Agency’s (PNA) questions over the weekend regarding the progress of the two naval craft.

HHI added that the work schedule for the corvettes proceeded on schedule as construction started this May.

“For the first corvette, the work commenced according to (the) original planned scheduled schedule of May 2023 and the first block will be laid by November this year,” the South Korean shipbuilder emphasized.

HHI was referring to the steel cutting which is considered in naval circles as the start of the construction of a warship.

It also added that construction for the second corvette will start this November.

The Department of National Defense (DND) signed a PHP 28-billion contract with HHI for the acquisition of two brand-new corvettes for the PN on Dec. 27, 2021. The corvettes are capable of anti-ship, anti-submarine, and anti-air warfare missions and will be more heavily armed than the Jose Rizal-class frigates.

These ships will backstop the two Navy’s Jose Rizal-class frigates, also constructed by HHI.