Second Jose Rizal-class frigate for Philippines launched by South Korean shipbuilder

The Antonio Luna (FF-151) during launching ceremonies in HHI's Ulsan yard. Photo c/o News1 Korea.

The second Jose Rizal-class frigate for the Philippine Navy (PN), named the Antonio Luna (FF-151) was launched by South Korean naval shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) on 8 November 2019 at their main shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea.

Among those present were Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorezana and top officials from South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Procurement Agency (DAPA), HHI, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and PN.

The frigate was among those ordered in 2016 by the Philippines Department of National Defense under a Php16 billon (US350 millon) contract, after HHI won the public bidding against over Indian shipbuilder Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).

The Antonio Luna will is expected to continue dockside works as is expected to be delivered to the Philippine Navy by late 3rd or early 4th quarter of 2020, according to Filipino defense page MaxDefense Philippines. 

The Jose Rizal-class is 107 meters long, displaces around 2,600 tons, and is powered by four MKU-STX naval diesel engines propelling the ship to a maximum speed in excess of 25 knots, and a maximum range of 4,500 nautical miles.

The ship is armed with an Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid naval gun, an ASELSAN SMASH 30mm naval gun system, two twin missile launchers for the LIGNex1 SSM-700K C-Star anti-ship cruise missiles, two twin automated Simbad-RC launchers for MBDA Mistral point defense missiles, two triple anti-submarine torpedo tubes, several manually-operated 12.7mm heavy machine guns, and allocation for an 8-cell vertical launch system (VLS).

It features a Combat Management System from Hanwha Systems, a Hensoldt TRS-3D air/surface search radar, Selex ES NA-25X fire control radar, HarrisL3 Model 997 hull-mounted sonar, and other sensors. It also has an allocation for a small towed-array sonar system.


[1] Philippine Navy
[2] MaxDefense Philippines
[3] News1 Korea