HD Hyundai Heavy Industries held a keel-laying ceremony on Nov. 22 at its Ulsan shipyard for the first of the 3,200-ton class Philippine patrol vessels, attended by naval and defense industry officials from both South Korea and the Philippines.
The 3,200-ton class patrol vessel, constructed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, is a state-of-the-art warship measuring 118.4 meters in length and 14.9 meters in width with a cruising speed of 15 knots (approximately 28 kph) and a range of 4,500 nautical miles (8,330 km). It will be equipped with advanced weapon systems, including anti-ship missiles, vertical launch systems, and AESA radar. Two of these Philippine patrol vessels are scheduled to be launched in 2024 and delivered to the Philippine Navy by 2025.
Previously, the Philippine government had ordered a total of 10 vessels from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries as part of the Horizon project, aimed at modernizing and enhancing the naval power of the Philippines. This order included two frigates (in 2016), two patrol vessels (in 2021), and six offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) (in 2022).
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has also been awarded the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) project for the two frigates delivered to the Philippine Navy in 2020 and 2021, further supporting the modernization of the Philippine Navy.
During the ceremony, Toribio Dulinayan Adaci Jr., the Chief of Staff of the Philippine Navy, attended in person to inspect the construction status of the patrol vessels and discuss collaboration plans for the modernization of the Philippine Navy. He also participated in the earlier ceremony for the second vessel, expressing the Philippine government’s strong expectations and commitment to this project.
Adaci Jr. stated, “HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is actively contributing to the modernization of the Philippine Navy and the maintenance of its vessels. We plan to continue our strong partnership with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in the future, not only in shipbuilding but also in areas such as training, technology transfer, and performance enhancement of existing vessels.”
Joo Won-ho, the head of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ special ship business division, commented, “The vessels constructed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will navigate the waters around the Philippines and serve as milestones symbolizing the friendly relations between our two countries established during the Korean War.”