HD Hyundai Heavy Industries said on the 26th that it signed a contract with the Ministry of National Defense of the Philippines to build two 3,200-ton (t) class frigates. The contract is worth 844.7 billion won, and both ships are scheduled to be delivered to the Philippine Navy by the second half of 2029.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries said the latest order is significant because it is an additional procurement based on the successful operation of the 2,600t class Jose Rizal class and the 3,200t class Miguel Malvar class frigates previously delivered to the Philippines. The frigates ordered this time will be built based on the same specifications as the Miguel Malvar class frigates delivered this year.
The Philippines is pushing the Navy modernization program, the "Horizon Project," to respond to the region's complex maritime security environment and secure stable maritime operational capabilities. Under the Horizon Project, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries signed construction contracts for a total of 12 ships, including 2,600-ton class and 3,200-ton class frigates and six 2,400-ton class offshore patrol vessels. This set a cumulative record of exporting 20 naval vessels.
Joo Won-ho, head (president) of the Naval and Medium Ship Business Unit at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, said, "This contract is a result achieved by the solid strategic partnership between Korea and the Philippines, built on trust, and it confirms HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' technological prowess and program management capabilities," adding, "We will continue to cooperate as a trusted core partner of the Philippine Navy by supplying high-quality vessels and providing stable follow-up support."