Posted on 10/24/2016 10:47:44 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) announced on 24 October that it had won a contract to build two frigates for the Philippine Navy (PN). The lot 1 contract covers the ship platform and launchers.
This contract for the most advanced vessels the PN has ever operated was signed during a ceremony in Manila. A notice of award worth PHP15.7 billion (US$337 million) for these South Korean-built warships was delivered last month.
HHI offered its HDF-3000 design as the basis for the PN requirement, upon which South Korean Incheon-class frigates are also based. The company said in a press release, ‘The frigates will be designed to be a smaller light combatant and successor to the Incheon-class frigate which is now in active service…[and it will be] tailored to the requirements of the Philippine Navy...’
The PN frigates will be 107m long and have a 12m beam. Standard displacement is 2,600t. The Philippines has opted for an all-diesel propulsion system that will offer a maximum speed of 25kt and 4,500nm range at 15kt.
HHI noted that the frigates will be ‘heavily armed with missiles, torpedoes, guns and sensors controlled by the latest combat management system’ so that they are ‘capable of conducting anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare and electronic warfare’.
The exact armaments to be fitted on the PN’s pair of frigates have not been revealed, but Shephard understands that HHI proposed LIG Nex1 SSM-700K Haeseong anti-ship missiles. The PN specified a 76mm OTO Melara 76/62 Super Rapid gun, while a remote-controlled 30mm weapon should serve as secondary armament.
An image released by HHI showed two dual tubular-shaped missile launchers plus two lightweight torpedo launchers mounted amidships. There is a remote-controlled weapon station astern.
The depiction of two Simbad-RC lightweight launchers above the bridge suggests that MBDA’s Mistral surface-to-air missile will provide short-range air defence. A close-in weapon system (CIWS) has not been specified yet, while the ships are being fitted for but not with a vertical launch system for future longer-range missiles.
The frigates will have a flight deck sufficient to accommodate helicopters up to the 12t class. In March the PN awarded a contract to Leonardo Helicopters for two AW159 Wildcat rotorcraft. Two RHIBs are also installed on the main deck either side of the funnel.
Handover of the first frigate to the PN is slated for 2020.
This is good news, but the primary need is still not addressed -
” the ships are being fitted for but not with a vertical launch system for future longer-range missiles.”
Thats precisely what the PI is short of, genuine long range air defense systems, otherwise even these modern ships are vulnerable to hundreds of Chinese naval strike aircraft with ASM’s.
Video game frigates ?
The Philipines and the PRC are allied.
The lack of air defense is an important reason they are “allied”.
If you can’t beat them join them.
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