Philippines commissions second Jose Rizal-class frigate

 

The BRP Antonio Luna, second Jose Rizal-class frigate of the PN. Photo c/o Philippine Navy.

The Philippine Navy (PN) has commissioned its second Jose Rizal-class frigate during ceremonies held on 19 March 2021 in Manila’s South Harbor, 

The ceremony was attended by the Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, South Korean ambassador to the Philippines Kim In-Chul, Philippine Navy chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Bacordo and other military and defense officials.

The ship, which was commissioned as the BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), was assigned with the PN’s Offshore Combat Force, which is in charge of offshore-capable combat and patrol vessels.

The BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) was designed and built by South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), and was delivered to the Philippines on 05 February 2021. 

It conducted pre-commissioning tests and inspections from February to March 2021, before it was deemed acceptable for commissioning.

The Jose Rizal-class frigates are the PN’s premier fighting ships, and are 107.5 meters long, has a beam of 13.8 meters, and a draft of 6.9 meters, and with a displacement of around 2,600 tons.

It is armed with an Oto Melara Super Rapid 76mm naval gun, an Aselsan SMASH 30mm secondary gun, two twin launchers for SSM-700K C-Star anti-ship cruise missiles, two twin Simbad-RC short range surface to air missiles, two triple torpedo tubes, and several heavy machine guns.

The ships also have allocated space for a Close-in Weapon System (CIWS), and an 8-cell Vertical Launching System (VLS).

The frigates were acquired under the Horizon 1 phase of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP Modernization Program covering the years 2013-2017. 

The Philippine Navy is said to be in talks for 2 new corvettes with HHI, with the shipbuilder offering  an improved version of the Jose Rizal-class frigate.




[1] Philippine Navy
[2] Philippine Defense Resource