A South Korean HHI HDF-3000 frigate which carries missiles and torpedos, The Philippines is buying two. (Photo courtesy rhk111's Military and Arms Page)
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The Philippine Navy is gradually catching up to navies of its neighbours and resource competitors, Malaysia and Indonesia. Greater naval friction between these neighbours is likely as the potential prices of contested undersea oil-gas, and even fish prices and scarcity, rise.
The Philippine Navy’s (PN’s) recent interest in acquiring submarines from Russia (Kilos) or maybe China (S20s or S26s) should not be seen as a passing urge from a mere gun only second hand navy. Any future submarine purchase can be seen in the context of the PN’s new trend of paying serious money for new vessels armed with missiles.
The Philippine Navy’s (PN’s) recent interest in acquiring submarines from Russia (Kilos) or maybe China (S20s or S26s) should not be seen as a passing urge from a mere gun only second hand navy. Any future submarine purchase can be seen in the context of the PN’s new trend of paying serious money for new vessels armed with missiles.
In the last few years the PN has bought:
A. 3 x multi-purpose attack craft (MPAC) Mk. 3s, These
patrol boats (coming from Israel around June 2017) are being armed with Spike-ER missiles with a 8 km range. The Spikes have roughly
the weight and range of Hellfire missiles.
B. much more substantially a contract (for a total of US$337 million) was concluded October
24, 2016 for 2 new
frigates, which are derivatives of the HDF-3000 design. These are
being built by Hyundai Heavy Industries, South Korea and are scheduled
for delivery starting 2019. These frigates will carry (see and wiki's right sidebar) SAMs,
Harpoon like SSM-700K
Haeseong anti-ship missiles and lightweight torpedos.
C. The PN will also mount Spike-NLOS missiles on its soon to be received AW-159
Wildcat naval helicopters (another reference). Also LWTs can be mounted. These helicopters could operate from:
- the
3 old cutter-frigates
- the 2 new build frigates,
- the new 11,583 ton, Tarlac class landing platform docks (LPDs) - see the photo below, or
- air bases in critical places like Palawan Island which borders the highly contested Spratly Islands in
the South China Sea.
The Philippine Navy's new 11,583 ton Tarlac class LPDs can carry helicopters armed with missiles and LWTs. (Photo courtesy Miguel
de Guzman via philstar GLOBAL).
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Pete
Hi Pete,
ReplyDeleteThe problem with the Philippines is that they are still stuck in the Gunboat navy era. They never went to the Missile navy era.
Hi Nicky
ReplyDeleteFrom your thorough reading ? of the article? you would have noticed the Philippine Navy (PN) will not be old fashioned gun-only for long. The PN is getting a whole range, soon, of:
- anti-ship missiles
- surface to air missiles (SAMs) and
- anti-submarine lightweight torpedos (LWTs)
HI Pete,
ReplyDeleteThe problem with the Philippines is pure Money and Corruption. That's why it's hard for countries to sell Military gear to the Philippines. I think if they want Anti ship missiles, SAM and Torpedos, they should look to Russia or France.