Philippines finalizes deal with Israel Shipyards for Shaldag Mk. V fast attack crafts

 

The Shaldag Mk. V fast attack craft. Photo c/o Israel Shipyards.

Israel Shipyards has confirmed in an announcement that it has been awarded a tender to supply its Shaldag Mk. V fast patrol boats for an East Asian country, which is believed to be the Philippines.

In a statement released by the company, an agreement was signed between Israel Shipyards, the Israeli Ministry of Defense, and the customer, for the supply of the Shaldag Mk. V fast patrol boats.

The agreement also includes transfer of knowledge and training on the construction and maintenance of the patrol boats, as well as upgrading of the customer’s shipyard related to the project.

Asia Pacific Defense Journal previously reported last February 2021 that the Philippines has released a Notice of Award for the Philippine Navy’s Fast Attack Interdiction Craft Missile Capable (FAIC-M) Lot 1 project, which involves the supply of 9 Shaldag Mk. V fast attack crafts worth Php6.161 billion (US$127.9 million).

The project also has a Lot 2 involving the supply of weapon systems and missiles, which was being finalized with another Israeli company, Rafael Advanced Systems.

The Shaldag Mk. V has a length of 32.7 meters, a beam of 6.2 meters, displaces at around 95 tons, and is powered by diesel engines capable of providing a maximum speed of above 40 knots, and a range of 1,000 nautical miles at 12 knots.

The Philippine Navy’s Fast Attack Interdiction Craft Missile Capable project was first raised in early 2019 with a budget of Php10 billion, which will replace the service’s recently retired Tomas Batilo-class fast attack crafts. But the project’s implementation was delayed by a year due to COVID 19 pandemic issues.

The Tomas Batilo-class fast attack crafts are former Chamsuri-class transferred from South Korea and have been in service since the late 1970s with  the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), before entering service with the PN in the early to mid-1990s.

[1] Israel Defense

[2] Jane’s

[3] Philippine Defense Resource