Philippines: Two new warships for the 127th anniversary of the navy

Two new ships were officially commissioned to mark the 127th anniversary of the Philippine Navy: The South Korean-built missile frigate "Miguel Malvar" - type ship of a planned duo - as well as the "Albert Majini"the eighth and first locally manufactured FAIC (Fast Attack Interdictor Craft) speedboat of the Nestor Acero class. Both units are part of the urgently needed modernisation programme "Horizon 2" - essential for the maritime security of the archipelago, which consists of over 7,000 islands.

The second unit of the Malvar class, "Diego Salang"was launched in Ulsan (South Korea) at the end of March and is expected to be in the outfitting process there until September. The new frigates are 118 metres long, displace around 3,200 tonnes and have a range of 4,500 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 15 knots and a maximum speed of 25 knots.

The task of this type of ship will be to protect the national interests of the Philippines in the South China Sea - particularly in the area of the islands and reefs claimed there. The aim is to counter the aggressive presence of Chinese naval militias and fill the existing power vacuum.

This strategic component is supplemented by the Littoral Combat Forcewhich is deployed in the island kingdom against terrorism and organised crime. Its fast 33-metre combat boats are based on the Israeli Shaldag-V-Design. The first series production comprises nine units (initially still manufactured in Israel), ten more boats are already firmly anchored in Manila's procurement planning.