Philippines orders 6 warships worth $570m from Hyundai
The Philippines has ordered six offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) worth 30 billion pesos ($570 million) from South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries.
Defense Secretary Delphine Lorenzana told reporters on the sidelines of the Philippine Navy’s anniversary on Friday, that the Navy chose the Hyundai Heavy Industries platform to build the OPV.
According to the statement, the purchase of the ships will “increase the country’s ability to protect national interests, especially in the western part of the Philippine Sea.”
HDP-1500 Neo was shown in April 2022 in Manila at the Asia Defense and Security 2022 exhibition. The ship has a length of 81 meters, a displacement of 1.7 thousand tons, and a maximum speed of 21 knots. They can be armed with 76 mm naval guns and automatic rifles installed at remotely controlled weapon stations.
It can also be equipped with anti-ship missile launchers, torpedo tubes and a short-range air defense system. The ships are expected to be delivered annually in two batches, with the first batch expected to arrive four years after the contract is signed.
