Philippines adds speedy warship to maritime arsenal
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The Philippine navy’s BRP Miguel Malvar, a newly acquired frigate from South Korea, docked shortly after arriving at the naval base.
PHOTO: AFP
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MANILA - The Philippines took possession of its first of two corvette-class warships with “advanced weapons and radar systems” on April 8, as it faces growing pressure from Beijing in the disputed South China Sea.
The arrival of the 3,200-tonne BRP Miguel Malvar is part of a two-ship deal with South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries in 2021.
Its sister ship, the BRP Diego Silang, was formally launched in Ulsan, South Korea, in March, but has yet to begin the journey to the Philippines.
Corvettes are small, fast warships used mainly to protect other vessels from attack.
The arrival of the ship marked “a critical step towards developing a self-reliant and credible defence posture”, the Philippine Defence Department said in a statement.
It follows months of confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety despite an international ruling that its assertion has no merit.
“(The) Miguel Malvar is here today to serve not only as a deterrent and protector of our waters but also as an important component in joint and combined operations” with allies, Philippine defence chief Gilberto Teodoro said at a Subic Bay naval base ceremony.
The deal for the two ships was first unveiled in 2021, five years after Hyundai Heavy Industries won a contract to build two new frigates for the Philippine navy.
The military said in March that the two corvettes would “significantly enhance the country’s naval capabilities amid growing security challenges in the West Philippine Sea”.
On April 8, the Philippine Coast Guard separately welcomed the donation of 20 Australian surveillance drones, which its commander said could extend its vessels’ coverage area by a “significant distance”.
Using drones will “save fuel and it will be less risky for our people”, Commandant Ronnie Gil Gavan said at a ceremony in coastal Bataan province.
The Philippines has been deepening ties with allies and more aggressively pushing back on Beijing’s sweeping South China Sea claims since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr took office in 2022.
In December, Manila said it planned to acquire the US mid-range Typhon missile system
Beijing warned that such a purchase could spark a regional “arms race”.
Last week, the US said it had approved the possible sale
