Philippine Navy starts procurement of torpedoes and countermeasures for Jose Rizal-class frigates

 
The Philippine Navy (PN) has finally started the acquisition process of torpedoes and countermeasures that will be for use on the service's new Jose Rizal-class frigates that were introduced starting mid 2020.

This has been highly anticipated, considering the first frigate of the class, the lead ship BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) has already entered service with the Philippine Navy since June 2020, while the second ship of the class, the Antonio Luna (FF-151) is on its way for delivery in early 2021.

These acquisition would allow the new frigates to gain offensive capabilities against submarines, and defensive capabilities against torpedoes and missiles.

A torpedo launched from a US Navy destroyer. Photo credits to US Navy.

Frigate Equipment:

The Jose Rizal-class frigates are equipped with two triple trainable 324mm lightweight anti-submarine torpedo tubes from UK's SEA. , as well as two C-Guard DL-6T chaff dispensers from Denmark's Terma A/S.

The SEA triple torpedo tubes (top) and C-Guard countermeasures dispenser (above). Photo credits to original sources.

The torpedo tubes are meant as the offensive weapon of the frigate against submarines, with three ready to fire tubes located on each side of the frigate. Western frigate designs usually use the lightweight 324mm torpedoes for surface ships, which work as part of the ship's anti-submarine warfare suite.

Among common examples of torpedoes that can be used in this tube caliber are the Franco-Italian EuroTorp MU90 Impact, the American Mark 54 from Raytheon, the Italian WASS A244S, the British Stingray from BAE Systems, and the Korean K745 Blue Shark from LIGNex1.

Most of these torpedoes have a typical range of less than 15 kilometers, and are guided to their targets with a combination of active and passive acoustic homing systems.

The torpedo tubes found on the BRP Jose Rizal.

Also, the Jose Rizal-class frigates are equipped with  two C-Guard DL-6T chaff dispensers from Denmark's Terma A/S.

The C-Guard was designed to provide coverage against threats like small range gate Radio Frequency (RF) guided missiles, imaging infra-red (IR) seeker missiles, and torpedoes. It utilizes the standard 130mm NATO decoys.

Chaffs were fired from naval ships during an exercise by the Republic of China Navy (ROCN). Photo credits to ABC News.

The decoy launcher is part of a system that includes integration with the ship's combat management system (CMS), which are also interfaced with the ship's radar, electronic support measures (ESM), and other sensors.

Procurement of Torpedoes and Countermeasures:

Currently, these systems are unused due to lack of munitions and countermeasures, respectively. And this is what the Philippine Navy is trying to cover with their Frigate Lot 3 Acquisition Project. 

While the Frigates Lot 1 for the platform, and Lot 2 for the gun and missile ammunitions were procured under the Horizon 1 phase of the Revised AFP Modernization Program, this Lot 3 is actually part of the 2nd List of Horizon 2.

It was among those proposed in the original Php650 billion 2017 Horizon 2 Phase Shopping List, but was among those that were taken out of the finalized Php300 billion Horizon 2 Phase priority list approved in principle by President Rodrigo Duterte in June 2018.

But due to its urgency and the reliance on Multi-Year Contracting Authority (MYCA) procurement process which did not require the full amount of the project to be paid within the year, the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Philippine Navy were able to squeeze this project in as part of its 2nd List.

With a total of Php1,700,000,000.00 as its Approved Budget for Contracting (ABC), the Frigate Lot 3 Acquisition Project was divided into 3 sub-lots: the Lot 3A for Torpedoes with a budget of Php900 million, Lot 3B for Chaffs with a budget of Php350 million, and Lot 3C for Acoustic Decoys with a budget of Php450 million.

Lot 3A for Torpedoes will be acquired through Negotiated Procurement, which MaxDefense believes is with the South Korean Ministry of National Defense (ROK MND). This means that the procurement would be for the K745 Blue Shark torpedoes from LIGNex1, which is the only Korean-made lightweight torpedo model.

The K745 Blue Shark torpedo. Photo credits to LIGNex1 website.

This could be a practical approach for the Philippine Navy, which already has the K745 Blue Shark torpedoes in its inventory, but are actually air-launched variants that arms its AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat ASW helicopters. These helicopters are to be deployed on the same frigates, which means commonality between the ship and its complementing helicopter's munitions.

MaxDefense PH is still trying to find out what stage of procurement is the Frigate Lot 3A already in, but our sources mentioned that so far, no contract has been signed yet as of this writing.

The PN's AW159 Wildcat are also armed with the air-dropped K745 Blue Shark torpedoes from LIGNex1. Photo credits to original source.

For Lot 3B and Lot 3C, both will be procured through Limited Source Bidding. In fact, the DND already posted the Invitation to Bid and Bid Documents at PhilGEPS Government Procurement Website on December 2020, and at the DND website on January 2021.

This means it still remains to be seen what brand and model of chaffs and acoustic decoys will be used as this would be dependent on the result of the bidding.

A US Navy serviceman loading chaffs on a countermeasures dispenser. Photo credits to US Navy.

MaxDefense is still trying to find out who are the invited bidders for the project, but based on the Supplemental Bid Bulletins released by the DND, South Africa's Rhinemetall Denel Munitions is one of the participants on the Lot 3B tender, while France's Naval Group is also participating on the Lot 3C tender.

We also found that Chemring Group was also invited to the Lot 3B, while unnamed companies from the US, Israel, and UK were also invited aside from Naval Group for Lot 3C.

Naval Group has recently been offering the CANTO acoustic torpedo decoy to regional navies like the Royal Australian Navy, which is compatible with the Terma C-Guard, as shown on the photo below.

The Naval Group's CANTO 130mm torpedo countermeasures as fitted on a Terma C-Guard decoy launcher. Photo credits to Naval Group.

Bid submission deadline for the Lot 3B Chaffs tender will be on 12 January 2021, while the Lot 3C Acoustic Decoy will be on 16 February 2021.

Due to the project being a limited source bidding, tender documents are only provided to invited tenderers, so it is expected that it won't be made available to the public. So far, the PhilGEPS and DND websites has not posted the Bid Documents that includes the technical requirements and specifications.

But what we know so far on the Chaffs and Acoustic Decoys is that they are suppose to fit into the Terma C-Guard's mortar launcher which is around 130mm diameter, standard NATO size. 

For now, all we can do is wait for the tender results, and see which company will win so we can try to find out what will potentially be ordered for the Philippine Navy.

Project Summaries:

Frigate Lot 3A - Torpedo Acquisition Project:

Note: Edited as of 06 January 2021.

* End User: Philippine Navy (Offshore Combat Force)

* Quantity: classified

* Modernization Phase: 2nd List of Horizon 2 Phase of RAFPMP

* Project ABC: Php900,000,000.00

* Acquisition Mode: Government-to-Government deal with South Korean Ministry of National Defense.

* Source of Funding: GAA Funds through AFP Modernization Program Trust Fund

* SARO Release/s: TBA

* Winning Proponent: LIGNex1 (South Korea) (not yet awarded)

* Product for Delivery: TBA

* Contract Price: TBA

* First post by MaxDefense: 31 December 2020

* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PNFrigateLot3ATorpedoAcquisition 

* Status: Project is being undertaken through G2G with South Korean MND. Product of interest is K745 Blue Shark lightweight torpedo from LIGNex1. No contract has been signed although it is expected to be done before mid 2021.

X X X X X X X X X X

Frigate Lot 3B - Chaff Acquisition Project:

Note: Edited as of 06 January 2021.

* End User: Philippine Navy (Offshore Combat Force)

* Quantity: classified

* Modernization Phase: 2nd List of Horizon 2 Phase of RAFPMP

* Project ABC: Php350,000,000.00

* Acquisition Mode: Limited Source Bidding

* Source of Funding: GAA Funds through AFP Modernization Program Trust Fund

* SARO Release/s: TBA

* Winning Proponent: TBA

* Product for Delivery: TBA

* Contract Price: TBA

* First post by MaxDefense: 31 December 2020

* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PNFrigateLot3BChaffAcquisition 

* Status: Project is being undertaken through Limited Source Bidding. Bid submission and opening scheduled on 12 January 2021.

X X X X X X X X X X

Frigate Lot 3C - Acoustic Decoy Acquisition Project:

Note: Edited as of 06 January 2021.

* End User: Philippine Navy (Offshore Combat Force)

* Quantity: classified

* Modernization Phase: 2nd List of Horizon 2 Phase of RAFPMP

* Project ABC: Php450,000,000.00

* Acquisition Mode: Limited Source Bidding

* Source of Funding: GAA Funds through AFP Modernization Program Trust Fund

* SARO Release/s: TBA

* Winning Proponent: TBA

* Product for Delivery: TBA

* Contract Price: TBA

* First post by MaxDefense: 31 December 2020

* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PNFrigateLot3CAcousticDecoyAcquisition 

* Status: Project is being undertaken through Limited Source Bidding. Bid submission and opening scheduled on 16 February 2021 after requested to be moved by Naval Group.

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First release: 06 January 2021
Copyright MaxDefense Philippines

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Why the Philippine Navy may accept the Jose Rizal-class frigates, with or without TDLink 16 compatibility

The Philippine Navy, through its Flag Officer in Command (FOIC) Vice Adm. Giovanni Bacordo, announced on 15 May 2020 that the first of the Jose Rizal-class frigates built by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) will be leaving the shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea on 18 May 2020, and arriving in Subic Bay in the Philippines by 23 May 2020.

The announcement mentioned that frigate, the future BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150). would sail with 60 Philippine Navy crewmen, and 40 Korean personnel, and the ship would undergo Technical and Acceptance Inspections once it arrives in Subic Bay.

While this appears to be good news for the Philippine Navy as the arrival marks a new milestone to their history as it becomes closer to becoming a modern navy, there are still several issues that are needing for clarity.

The first ship of the Jose Rizal-class, the future BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150). Photo taken from and credited to Hyundai Heavy Industries.

Quick Background:

MaxDefense previously posted in our blogs and Facebook page that Hyundai Heavy Industries appears to have not fully met the project requirements of the Frigate Acquisition Project, which eventually became the Jose Rizal-class frigates.

While there were some minor issues that we believe can be settled later on, one major issue that hounds the project is the requirement for compatibility of the Combat Management System (CMS) with the US-NATO Tactical Data Link 16 (Link 16).

This requirement was among those agreed upon and included in the project's Contract between the Department of National Defense (DND) and Hyundai Heavy Industries that was signed on 24 October 2016 bt Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, and HHI Executive Vice President Kisun Chung

HHI and its subcontractor Hanwha Systems previously confirmed in Senate hearings conducted in 2017 that the Hanwha Systems Naval Shield Integrated Combat Management System, which is the CMS installed on the new frigates, are not yet compatible to Link 16 as of then, although they are expecting it would be certified as compatible with Link 16 by 2019. 

By 2019, Hanwha Systems was not able to get the Naval Shield ICMS to be compatible with Link 16 due to reasons beyond its control. MaxDefense reiterated that the risk from 2016 was not mitigated, and has now become an actual problem. HHI and Hanwha Systems promised that the ship would be delivered with Link 16 compatibility in 2020.

The future BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) during its launching in 2019 at HHI's naval shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea. Photo from Inquirer.net.

By March 2020, the PN FOIC Vice Adm. Bacordo confirmed that they are just awaiting for certification from the US on the compatibility of Naval Shield ICMS with Link 16, since only the US Link 16 Office and US DOD's Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) can provide certification. It was later confirmed that Hanwha Systems tested the Naval Shield ICMS using the Ultra Electronics Air Defense System Integrator (ADSI) simulator, although Hanwha Systems and HHI failed to get actual certification from US certifiers.

Hanwha presented their Naval Shield ICMS to Philippine media during the launch of BRP Jose Rizal in 2019. Photo from Inquirer.net.

MaxDefense received information from officials familiar with the Link 16 issues that a simulation test using the Ultra Electronics ADSI, as what Hanwha Systems did, may not be sufficient reason enough for the US JITC and Link 16 office to provide certification.

If the US Link 16 Office and JITC doesn't provide any certification, the Philippine Navy risks accepting the ship that in the end, the US will not accept for installation of the Tactical Data Link 16.

The two ships of the Jose Rizal-class docked in HHI's yard in Ulsan, South Korea. Photo exclusively shared to MaxDefense Philippines.

Accepting the Frigate or Not:

It remains to be seen now if the Philippine Navy's Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee (TIAC) will accept the ship or not.

Of course it would be good news for everyone, including MaxDefense, if HHI and Hanwha Systems could REALLY provide the certification from US certifying agencies like JITC, because this means that finally, we can say that the ship is fully compliant to the requirements.

MaxDefense would even be happy for the Philippine Navy to continue with its planned Corvette Acquisition Project with HHI and Hanwha if they can prove that the Naval Shield ICMS is TDL16 compatible.

But as our last check just a few days ago, there is still no sign that a US certification was obtained by HHI and Hanwha Systems to support their claim that the Naval Shield ICMS is TDL16 compatible.

But MaxDefense believes that, despite the issues surrounding the frigates and its Combat Management System, the Philippine Navy will accept the ships.
Why the PN Would Accept the Ships, TDL16 Compatible or Not:

MaxDefense believes that despite the warnings made since 2016, and despite the Philippine Navy knowing the issues very well, the Philippine Navy would still accept the frigates, with or without the Link 16 compatibility with the Naval Shield ICMS.

There are several reasons that we believe are in the heads of the Philippine Navy's leadership, which we believe include the following:

1. RIMPAC 2020:

RIMPAC 2020 is happening in August 2020, and the Philippine Navy is said to be joining once again with the FF-150. Photo of RIMPAC 2020 logo from RIMPAC's official FB page.

One of our community members commented in our last Facebook post that the ship's "going to a party, but isn't well dressed enough". While MaxDefense believes that being "well dressed" is needed, the ship is indeed going to a party.

MaxDefense has received confirmation that the Philippine Navy is joining the Rim of the Pacific Exercises 2020, which is scheduled in August 2020 in Hawaii, USA. And guess which ship is the Philippine Navy sending?

Yes, its no other than the future BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), which is expected to be commissioned with the Philippine Navy by then. MaxDefense is expected that a shipboard helicopter will accompany the frigate, but it still remains to be seen if the PN will send the new AgustaWestland AW159 Mk220 Wildcat, or the older and less capable AgustaWestland AW109E Power naval helicopter.

The exercises is expected to only have the At Sea Phase due to the COVID-19 pandemic still expected to be ongoing. So the PN is only sending a combat ship, unlike in 2018 when it sent a Marine Battalion Landing Team and a Landing Platform Dock. 

RIMPAC 2020 is happpening. Photo from US Navy.

2. Pressure from Greased Public Officials:

It would be remembered that as early as April 2020, MaxDefense already received word that Hyundai Heavy Industries is already pushing for the delivery of the frigate, and has already sent their people to meet "people with influence" within the Philippine government.

Despite the issues on the frigate being very obvious, the deal still pushed through according to HHI's wishes despite not legally questionable. This means that there are questionable activities happening in the backstage of the show.

If the frigate's acceptance is delayed, it means more expenses for HHI since the Philippine government cannot release the milestone payments for the ship's delivery. Based on the project's payment terms and delivery schedule included in the contract, HHI will be paid 10% of the contract price and reach a total of 80% of the contract price by the time the 1st frigate is accepted and delivered to the Philippine Navy.

It would be favorable for HHI to spend a little more just to get this project moving forward. And that "little more" may include "grease" for our officials.


3. Philippine Navy's Desperation for Additional Hulls:

Just a few weeks ago, the Philippine Navy just had one of its major surface combat asset, the Del Pilar-class frigate BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16) in a minor accident off the coast of India. While the damage appears to be minimal, MaxDefense received information from Navy sources that it might taken several months for a complete repair to be made, that is even with assistance from the US Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command.

If true, this means the BRP Ramon Alcaraz may not be available for service for almost the entire remaining months of 2020.

This is not a good timing for the Philippine Navy, since it is in the process of retiring three (3) more World War 2-era warships within 2020, while its sistership BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PS-15) is still under repair and is not expected to return to service until mid to late 2021 as it will proceed with upgrade works in late 2020 or early 2021 even after repairs on the ship are done.

The BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PS-15) has not yet recovered from the damages it took in 2018. It is expected that repairs would be completed by 2020, although the ship is lined for upgrade works in early 2021. Photo from Inquirer.net.

This means that only the Del Pilar-class frigate BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS-17) and the Pohang-class corvette BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39) remain as the only available major surface combatants of the Philippine Navy as of this writing. The addition of the future BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) would boost the Philippine Navy's hull availability

The PN only has the Pohang-class corvette BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39) and the Del Pilar-class frigate BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS-17) as its main surface combatants at the moment. Photo from PN.

4.  Obtaining Assistance from South Korean Government:

The acceptance of the future BRP Jose Rizal may also be tied to other projects that the Philippine Navy is trying to close with the South Korean government. 

One is obtaining soft loans to support the Corvette Acquisition Project which the DND and PN are pushing to be awarded to a Korean shipbuilder (most likely HHI).

The Philippine Navy plans to acquire 2 new corvettes, which is said to be based on an improved version of the Jose Rizal-class frigates, and would be built again by HHI. Photo shared exclusively to MaxDefense.

The other is obtaining excess defense articles from the South Korean Ministry of Defense, which may include a second or even a third decommissioned Pohang-class corvette formerly used by the Republic of Korea Navy.

Allowing the frigate to be accepted without too much question will give the DND and PN more bargaining power with the South Korean government for both proposed projects. 

The Philippine Navy is after the acquisition of additional decommissioned Pohang-class corvettes from the South Korean government.

5. Liquidated Damages:

If the frigates remain undelivered, HHI is expected to get penalized and could be paying for Liquidated Damages (LD) as stipulated in the contract annexes. It would be remembered that HHI promised to deliver the ship in April 2020, although the COVID-19 pandemic may be a valid reason for the delays. But further delays may not be acceptable enough to be considered as an aftereffect of COVID-19 issues.

HHI will try its best to push the DND and PN to accept the ships, so that HHI won't be paying for the LD and lose more money in the process.

For those who are not familiar with commercial contracts, paying Liquidated Damages is a damning thing for a company to do because it is considered a loss for any company to do so.

6. Protecting HHI and the South Korean Defense Industry's Image and Credibility:

For HHI to unable to deliver the frigates on time or for the wrong reasons would hit the company's credibility and image globally. The Philippine Navy's frigate is not a complicated project compared to many of its previous accomplishments, and HHI is expected to complete the deal with ease.

Not only HHI's credibility will be affected, but also by Hanwha Systems and the entire South Korean defense industry too, which is aiming to be one of the largest in the world in terms of export sales.

It is expected that the South Korean government, and by extension HHI and Hanwha Systems, would do everything to keep their save the reputation of their defense industry, considering Koreans are known to be very sensitive in issues that will damage their credibility, image, reputation, and pride in the global market scene.

More Issues than the Link 16 Compatibility?

Prior to finishing this blog entry, MaxDefense received more information from Philippine Navy sources that the Link 16 compatibility issue with the Combat Management System appears to be just a minor issue now. Not much was provided to us, but it only means that there are other pressing issues on the project. But we'll probably leave that for now as we would need more time to gather more information.

An infographic of the subsystems of the  Jose Rizal-class frigate. So what else could be experiencing problems here aside from the CMS? Photo from Inquirer.net.

MaxDefense and its entire defense community hopes that the Philippine Navy, especially its leadership and the Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee (TIAC) and Project Management Team (PMT) would do its job well for the sake of the Philippine Navy's and the Philippines' interests.

Project Summary:
Frigate Acquisition Project Lot 1 - Frigate Platform with Launchers

Note: Edited as of 17 May 2020:

* End User: Philippine Navy (Offshore Combat Force)

* Quantity: 2 units

* Modernization Phase: Horizon 1 phase Priority Projects of RAFPMP

* Project ABC: Php16,000,000,000.00

* Acquisition Mode: 2-Stage Public Bidding

* Source of Funding: TBA

* SARO Release: TBA

* Winning Proponent: Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) of South Korea

* Product for Delivery: HDF-2600 frigate (Jose Rizal-class)

* Contract Price: Php15,744,571,584.00

* Residual Amount: Php255,428,416.00

* Expected Delivery: PN expects first ship by May 2020, second by September/October 2020.


* First post by MaxDefense: 02 May 2013

* Searching Hashtag: #PNFrigateAcquisition #PNFAP

* Status: First ship, future BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) scheduled for delivery and arriving in the Philippines by 23 May 2020. Second ship, future BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) undergoing dockside completion works, in preparation for sea trials.

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First edit and release: 17 May 2020

Copyright MaxDefense Philippines

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Philippine Navy's Corvette Acquisition Program - Jose Rizal-class Flight II?

The Philippine Navy (PN) and the Philippines' Department of National Defense (DND) have recently been very open in its planned acquisition of assets under the Horizon 2 phase, including how they plan to acquire assets, or from where are they planning to acquire them.

In the case of the PN, among the priorities that it had already mentioned publicly are the acquisition of brand new Corvettes, Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), Landing Platform Docks (LPD), Missile-armed Fast Attack Interdiction Crafts (FAIC-M), and Submarines.

Out of the projects above, only the Landing Platform Dock project will be acquired through Public Bidding, and the bidding process is still ongoing as this entry was written. All others are to be acquired through Direct Negotiations or Government-to-Government (G2G) deals between the DND and its foreign counterparts.

MaxDefense believes that out of those in the list for G2G procurement, the Corvette and Offshore Patrol Vessel projects are the most urgent ones. But in this case, let's only talk about the updates on the Corvette Acquisition Project.


With the awarding of the project happening very soon, it would be fitting for MaxDefense to discuss the project again based on newer information.

A scale model of the Jose Rizal-class frigate as provided to the DND by Hyundai Heavy Industries. Photo exclusively shared to MaxDefense by a source.

Recap on the Corvette Acquisition Project:
Since MaxDefense posted its last blog entry on the Corvette Acquisition Project more than a year ago on May 2018, let's have a recap of what the project is and what is it all about.

Previously MaxDefense posted information on what we believe would be the general technical requirements of the corvettes based on information we gathered back then. Here are what we posted back in 2018 just for readers to recall:

====================
- Corvette shall be of proven design (as required by Republic Act 10349);
- Designed to operate in tropic environment, within Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and beyond;
- Fit for service in Surface Warfare (SuW), Anti Air Warfare (AAW), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Electronic Warfare (EW) missions;
- Able to survive Sea State 6 or higher;
- Must be able to accommodate AW159 Wildcat or SH-60 Seahawk naval helicopters;
- Endurance of 20 days or longer;
- Displacement between 1,500 to 2,700 tons;
- Length between 80 meters to 105 meters;
- Speed at full displacement at 25 knots or higher;
- Accommodation for 70 personnel or more;
- Ship designed with low Radar Cross-Section (RCS);
- Able to accommodate container mission modules;
- Launch and recovery of two 7-meter RHIBs;
- Satisfy international maritime safety and environmental compliance standard.

Armaments may include:
- Main Gun: 76mm/62 Super Rapid;
- Secondary Gun: 1 x 30mm Machine Gun System;
- 2 x 4 Surface-to-surface Missiles;
- 2 x 8 Surface-to-air Missiles;
- 2 x Triple Torpedo Launchers;
- EW Suite;
- Chaffs and Decoys
====================

Back then, MaxDefense received solid confirmation that among those who already made serious offers are:

- ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) of Germany with their MEKO A100 Corvette family,
- Damen of the Netherlands with their SIGMA small warship family,
- Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) of South Korea with a modified design based on the HDF-2600 / Jose Rizal-class frigates,
- Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) with their a modified Kamorta-class design,
- Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) with a new design based on the larger Daegu-class frigates;

MaxDefense was also told that other shipbuilders like Naval Group of France, Navantia of Spain, Saab Kockums Naval Solutions of Sweden, and Goa Shipyards of India have shown interest to submit their offers.

This inforgraphic on the Corvette Acquisition Project was made public by the Philippine Navy on May 2018. But the requirements provided in this are aready superceded by a revised list of requirements included by the Philippine Navy in their RFIs to potential shipbuilders. Photo shared exclusively to MaxDefense by a source.

Updates on Technical Requirements:

Just before the end of 2018, MaxDefense received a more accurate general technical requirement on the Corvette Acquisition Project, which further refined what were being asked for the proponents to provide compared to the requirements prior to that.

While the revised requirements did not went too far from the earlier list we posted above, this gave us more clarity on what the Philippine Navy would want in their corvettes, as follows:

- Minimum length of 80 meters, no limit on maximum length;
- A draft of equal or greater than 4 meters,
- A maximum of speed of at least 25 knots at 80% Maximum Continuous Rating,
- Endurance of at least 20 days, and operating range of at least 4,000 nautical miles,
- Displacement of between 2,000 to 2,500 tons
- Helicopter Landing Deck capacity of at least 10 tons capacity,
- A hangar for at least one 10-ton helicopter,
- A minimum complement of 80 officers and sailors,
- Having unrestricted ship and subsystem operability at Sea State 6
- Includes two 7-meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat for Ship-boarding
- Low Radar Cross-Section, Low Infra-red design,
- Low Underwater Radiated Noise and Low Magnetic design
- Includes a Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare citadel
- Tier 3 diesel engine rating

Sensors Fit:
- Two Navigational (X & S-band) Radars
- 3D Air/Surface AESA Radar with Identification Friend or Foe (IFF),
- A Fire Control Radar,
- An Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS),
- Hull Mounted Sonar (HMS), 
- Towed Array Sonar System (TASS),
- Incorporating Tactical Data Link 16 and 22 (which are PN-supplied) ,
- Naval Communications-Electronic Support Measures (C-ESM),
- Naval Radar-Electronics Support Measures (R-ESM),
- Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN), Satellite Communications (SATCOM)
- Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD)

Combat Systems:
- Combat Management System with Tactical Data Link
- Integrated Platform Management System,
- Integrated Bridge Control System,
- Integrated Communications System,
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicle component
- Chaffs & Decoys

Weapon Systems:
- 1 x 76mm Super Rapid gun,
- 2 x quadruple anti-ship missile launchers,
- 1 x Close-In Weapon System (CIWS),
- At least 1 x 30mm secondary gun,
- 2 x triple torpedo launchers
- At least 1 x 8-cell Vertical Launching System (VLS)

So far, the requirements above are actually close to global standards of current corvette designs, and was actually an improvement over the Jose Rizal-class frigate that Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) is set to deliver to the Philippine Navy next year.

Most of the requirements for the corvette as indicated in the above list are not really that far from the Jose Rizal-class frigate, but there are some changes that could greatly enhance the ship compared to its frigate sister. Credits to the original source of the photo.

Among the most notable differences with the Jose Rizal-class are the following:

* Use of a 3D AESA radar, which they learned when HHI replaced the 3D AESA radar it offered during the bidding to a different radar model using older technology. Specifying an AESA radar would force the proponent to provide it in their offering.
* Inclusion of a Towed Array Sonar System (TASS) which would effectively improve the ship's submarine-hunting capability instead of just relying on a Hull-Mounted Sonar. In the Jose Rizal-class, this is a Fitted For But Not With (FFBNW) item.
* The specs includes the incorporating of Tactical Data Link 16 and 22, which the Philippine Navy would supply but the shipbuilder should allow easy integration into its system. Mistakes in the Frigate Acquisition Project on being not too specific on this matter resulted to allowing a product not proven to integrate with Link 16 to be used.
* Use of Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), which enables voice communication to be made in long distances, which is good for law enforcement missions. It is also a good defensive sound weapon against terrorists, illegal fishermen, and others.

A Long Range Acoustic Device as mounted on a warship. This can be used not just for long distance voice communication but also as a sound weapon against terrorists or other nearby threats. Credits to original source of the photo.

* Requirement for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle component, which will actually extend the eyes and ears of the warship by improving surveillance and camera range, and can also be used for targeting over the horizon for the ship's anti-ship cruise missiles.

The Philippine Navy has already done tests on using Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) from ships like the Del Pilar-class as seen here. A VTOL but conventional flying UAV like the one above can be what the PN is looking for the corvettes. Photo shared to MaxDefense by a community member.

* Increased quantity of anti-ship missile launchers from 4 to 8, which was one of the issues of the Jose Rizal-class when the PN decreased the requirement to just for 4 launchers to fit the tight budget. In today's improving electronic warfare, hard and soft kill systems, launching a single or even two anti-ship missiles against a capable surface warship might not necessarily equate to a sure kill.

* Requirement to include at least an 8-cell VLS and a CIWS, both of which are FFBNW items in the Jose Rizal-class. This means the corvettes would be ready to receive short or medium-range surface-to-air missiles that improves the warship's overall capability on the get-go. Based on how slow the PN does procurement, we do not expect the Jose Rizal-class to have their VLS and CIWS in the next 2-3 years.

* Requirement to include Communication-EMS which is another step forward from just relying on Radar-ESM for identification, detection and interception of electronic signatures, as in the case of the Jose Rizal-class and Del Pilar-class ships.

Aside from these major differences, it appears that the Philippine Navy is looking for a warship design that is smaller than the Jose Rizal-class but will have more equipment installed once delivered.

Considering the higher budget provided for the Corvette Acquisition Project than on the construction of the Jose Rizal-class frigates, it is expected that the corvettes will have additional or even better subsystem fit-out, more weapons and sensors, and will be benefiting from experience from the design and construction of the frigates.

Up until the pre-procurement phase, MaxDefense noted that only certain shipbuilders really pursued the project with seriousness, and these are:

- Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), with a derivative of the HDF-2600 / Jose Rizal-class design;
- Damen, with the SIGMA family, with offers ranging from the SIGMA 9813, 9814, and 10514 designs;
- Naval Group with the Gowind-class corvette design;
- Goa Shipyard with a derivative of their Saryu-class offshore patrol vessel;
- Turkish Ministry of Defense with a derivative of the Ada-class corvette;

HHI's offer is technically a design based on Jose Rizal-class frigates, but will need to be revised to meet the requirements. They have the highest chance of being selected since they already have experience working with the Philippine Navy, and will not have difficulty in having a final design approved due to its similarity to the Jose Rizal-class. Their quick construction turn around as shown on the construction of the Jose Rizal-class is also something that has been noted well by both the DND and PN. Another advantage is their ability to help the Philippine Navy lobby for the transfer of excess warships from the South Korean government. 

An update on the Jose Rizal-class frigate design was offered by HHI for the PN's Corvette Acquisition Project. Photo credited to original source.

Damen has offered several designs of their SIGMA family of small warships, with MaxDefense believing that the SIGMA 9814 originally offered to Vietnam being the most feasible based on the requirements. It has partnered with local marine contractor Propmech Corporation and was looking at other local shipbuilders for partnership that would allow them to build some of the corvette's modules locally, and probably have the ship assembled locally too. Damen has an existing shipyard in Vietnam and agreements with PT PAL in Indonesia, which could ether be a good or bad news depending on their benefits or disadvantages.

The SIGMA 9814 corvette design, which Damen offered to Vietnam a few years ago. Credits to the original source of the photo.

Naval Group's Gowind-class was said to be the favorite among officers from the Offshore Combat Force, but is also the priciest. Its cost already exceeded the budget although apparently the French government offered to assist by providing soft loans to cover the cost difference. Perception within the Philippine Navy is that the Gowind-class would have the highest quality in the offerings, although this is debatable due to improving quality from other countries.

The Gowind-class corvette was offered by Naval Group to the Philippines. The same design was selected by Malaysia for its Littoral Combat Ship (Maharaja Lela-class), and the Egyptian Navy (above). Credits to original source of photo.

Goa Shipyard Ltd. benefits from its participation on the Brazilian Navy's Tamandare corvette project, offering the same platform to the Philippine Navy as what they offered to Brazil. Based on feedbacks from our sources, Goa's offering was said to be the cheapest, but concerns on using an offshore patrol vessel design rather than a derivative of a small warship design could be an issue.

The Saryu-class OPV, which is the basis for Goa Shipyard's offer. Credits to the original source of the photo.

Turkey's offer using the a derivative of either the Ada-class corvette or the larger Istanbul-class frigate designed for and used by the Turkish Naval Forces is another interesting one, considering they are also open at having the ship built locally with a local partner, and offering transfer of technology should they win the project. The offer made by Turkey also exceeded the budget although a primary reason was due to the technology transfer proposal which is actually an investment for the future of Philippine naval shipbuilding.

The Istanbul-class frigate design, which is to be built for the Turkish Naval Forces based on the smaller Ada-class corvette. Both designs were offered to the Philippine Navy. Photo taken from Navy Recognition website.

Other shipyards did provide offers but were not really serious due to different circumstances. This includes ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), Navantia, Fincantierri, Austal, BAE Systems, Mazagon Dock, and STX.

Months leading to the Project Approval:
MaxDefense received confirmation as early as March 2019 that Hyundai Heavy Industries appears to be the leading shipbuilder in the race to build the PN's new corvettes. This was after Naval Group and Damen was said to have lost interest in the project for reasons MaxDefense would rather not discuss in the public.

The Turkish government  was said to have been pushing hard for their offer to be shortlisted, but it appears that decision makes within the DND and PN were already fixed on who would be the selected shipbuilder.

MaxDefense's sources later on confirmed that HHI's offer was the most favoured for a number of reasons both legal and, as our sources mentioned, "obvious extra-legal" reasons that is related to how the Philippine Navy and DND ended up on dealing with HHI for the Jose Rizal-class frigates in 2016-2017.

HHI's latest offer was considered "unsolicited", as it was not tailor-fitted based on the Philippine Navy's posted requirements. Instead, it was a combined offer by HHI with backing from the South Korean government that not only covers the construction of the corvettes and the subsystems in it, but also other issues like defense cooperation, excess defense article, financing, and other matters that may include political reasons. For discussions, let's focus on the reasons they does not involve "extra-legal" matters.

It was later on confirmed that during the Joint Command Conference in Malacanang last 07 May 2019, Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana submitted for the DND's project approval proposal and recommendation based on HHI's unsolicited offer, which means that it was already evaluated and selected by both the PN and DND beforehand. It validated earlier information provided to MaxDefense on HHI's offer being the most likely selection.

Pres. Duterte and Defense Sec. Lorenzana. Credits to original source of photo.

Pres. Duterte gave the green light to proceed with the Corvette Acquisition Project based on HHI's unsolicited offer, which means the DND and PN were given the freehand to finalize negotiations with HHI and the South Korean government.

HHI's Unsolicited Offer: Jose Rizal-class Flight II

According to MaxDefense's naval and defense sources, the HHI offer was actually an improved Jose Rizal-class frigate, with enhancements made on the sensors and subsystems, performance, weapon systems, and added features that goes with the ship.

It is expected to have a similar hull and base design as the Jose Rizal-class, but might have some adjustment in terms of displacement, length and width, and other physical dimensions to allow the added features or replaced subsystems.

It is safe to say that the corvettes offered by HHI are actually a follow-on to the Jose Rizal-class, which can be labelled as Jose Rizal-class Flight II considering South Korea has been doing a similar method of improving an existing design as they are built in numbers. In this case, it is highly possible that HHI is still constructing / fitting-out the Jose Rizal-class frigates once the contract for the corvettes are signed.

Due to these changes, MaxDefense now believes that these corvettes could be larger and heavier than the original Jose Rizal-class frigates. Among the changes that we expect are the use of larger diesel engines, having larger fuel tanks, more spaces and allowance for weight and power for additional weapon and sensors, more or larger diesel generators, possible use of alternative power sources to compensate on the additional weight, and more crew and storage spaces to accommodate more crew.

Being unsolicited, it is highly possible that HHI would either have fixed the subsystems to be used, or will allow the Philippine Navy to choose but up to a certain degree of not exceeding specific budget allocations unless the PN shoulders or agrees to pay more. At best, it may still follow the basic requirements of the Philippine Navy like the use of a 3D AESA radar, etc.

Up until June 2019, the PN is still in negotiation with HHI on the final fit-out of the corvettes, including additional subsystems that were not part of the proposal. Apparently HHI's offer may not have exceeded the budget allocated by the Philippine Navy, which is now pegged at Php24 billion (US$ 461 million) for 2 corvettes (or an average of Php12 billion or US$230 million per ship) excluding ammunition which will be acquired under a separate sub-lot worth Php4 billion.

Additional Pohang-class Corvettes on the Table:
Among the inclusions made by HHI for the Philippine Navy and DND to consider was that they will again lobby for the transfer of more retired Pohang-class corvettes to the Philippine Navy if their HHI is awarded the project.

This is exactly the reason why the Philippine Navy and DND were both confident that their request for 2 more Pohang-class corvettes, and possibly more units will be granted by the South Korean government.

So far, not even the French, Indian, or Turkish offers could match that.

The introduction of more Pohang-class corvettes means the Philippine Navy could now have reason to decommission and dispose of its remaining World War 2-era warships like the Rizal-class and Malvar-class patrol vessels by 2020.

HHI apparently promised to help lobby on the transfer of more Pohang-class corvettes retired by the ROKN, should HHI win the CAP. Photos taken from the Philippine Navy. Credits to the Philippine Navy.

MaxDefense's Opinion and Forecast:
MaxDefense believes that since HHI was the one that made the proposal, it is highly possible that it would include subsystems that are made in South Korea. It may also have features found on the new Daegu-class frigates of the Republic of Korea Navy, although it could be using more imported components than its Korean counterpart.

Both HHI and the PN could probably take a cue to the new Daegu-class frigates (FFX-II) of the ROKN, which is just US$40 million more expensive than the PN new corvettes. The Daegu-class uses a larger 127mm naval gun, a larger size, and a more complicated CODLOG configuration of propulsion involving the expensive Rolls Royce MT30 gas turbine and Leonardo DRS electric motors. These could have contributed to the higher cost per ship. Photo taken from Navy Recognition website.

Among those expected to be carried over from the Jose Rizal-class frigates are the following:

* Combat Management System, which may still use the Hanwha Defense Systems Naval Shield I-CMS. Since development of Baseline 3 is not yet completed, it is highly possible that the corvettes will receive a later version of Baseline 2.

It is highly expected that HHI would offer the Hanwha Defense Systems Naval Shield I-CMS Baseline 2.xx again for their proposed new corvettes.Commonality with the JRCF becomes a key reason. Photo shows the CMS consoles for BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151). Credits to original source of photo.

* Anti-ship Cruise Missile with the LIGNex1 SSM-700K C-Star missile. Among all weapons, the C-Star is the most likely Korean weapon to be made standard on the corvettes.
* 76mm Naval Gun using the Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid gun, which is becoming the standard naval gun of the Philippine Navy together with the older Oto Melara 76mm Compact gun.
* 30mm Secondary Gun using Aselsan SMASH 30mm RCWS, which still remains to be one of the most affordable in the market. Having them already in the Jose Rizal-class makes it more feasible.
* SEA Triple Trainable Torpedo tubes, which also makes sense due to commonality.
* Lightweight Torpedoes with the LIGNex1 K745 Blue Shark lightweight anti-submarine torpedoes, which is also becoming the standard lightweight torpedo of the PN,

MaxDefense is also expecting improvements, including the following:
* 3D AESA radar using the Hensoldt TRS-4D radar, which is essentially an AESA version of the older non-AESA TRS-3D installed on the Jose Rizal-class.

Hyundai, with approval by the South Korean government may be pushing for their corvette offer to include the K-VLS vertical launching system, which would enable them to push for the export of the K-SAAM missile defense system and the KM-SAM medium-range surface-to-air missile. Photo taken from The Mess, credits to original source of the photo which appear to be from a Korean website.

* The K-VLS 8-cell Vertical Launching System, wherein the frigates may be fitted with at least 1. Should the PN be successful of having two 8-cell VLS, it is still highly possible that at least 1 could be using the K-VLS to allow the use of Korean-made missiles. This means possibly offering also the LIGNex1 K-SAAM Sea Bow anti-missile missile system, and/or the LIGNex1 KM-SAM Cheolmae 2 medium range surface-to-air missiles.

While still unconfirmed, among those that were being considered for inclusion on the new corvettes include two 8-cell VLS for surface-to-air missiles, diesel-electric hybrid propulsion for silent running during ASW operations, an additional 30mm naval gun, a more comprehensive Electronic Warfare suite, among others.

Corvette or Frigate? 
If the new corvettes are essentially slightly larger Jose Rizal-class frigates, does it mean that they are actually frigates and not corvettes?

Or since the new corvettes the same or slightly larger than the Jose Rizal-class frigates, does it mean the Jose Rizal-class are actually corvettes and not frigates?

Considering the Philippine Navy plans to have 6 frigates and 12 corvettes as part of its Sail Plan 2028, where do we categorize the new corvettes and Jose Rizal-class frigates?

If MaxDefense is to answer the question, I believe the Jose Rizal-class should be reclassified as corvettes, and the new corvettes remain as corvettes too.

Why, you ask? Despite the classification of both ships becoming moot due to similarities in capabilities and size? Simple.

First of, if the Philippine Navy classifies them as corvettes, they are now compelled to acquire larger warships that they can classify rightfully as frigates. It won't matter if by paper the Philippine Navy becomes frigate-less until 2023. At least we know that the PN would now be looking at larger warships, with length probably exceeding 120 meters and displacement exceeding 4,000 tons, with more space for power generation, larger and more powerful sensors, and more capable weapon systems.

The Philippine Navy can even consider the new Type 31e frigate of the UK, whose basic price is within the Php18 billion budget allocated by the PN. The ship is large enough for future growth including installation of advanced air defense systems. Photo taken from BBC.

Secondly, the PN has to base its classification on the actual ability of the ships As per the PN's Classification Guidelines as of May 2016, a "Corvette" is a surface ship designed for anti-submarine warfare, and displaces between 540 to 3,000 tons (or well within the displacement of both the Jose Rizal-class frigate and the new corvettes). 

Meanwhile a "Frigate" is a surface ship designed for both ASW and Anti-Aircraft Warfare (AAW), and displaces between 2,000 to 5,000 tons. Despite the Jose Rizal-class frigates slated to have an 8-cell VLS, that would not be enough for it to be classified as an AAW asset, since the missiles are most likely just to defend itself against incoming aircraft or anti-ship cruise missiles. A real AAW asset means having the capacity to provide air defense not just to itself but also an entire battle group, and having longer-ranged air defense capability. This means being armed with more VLS launchers, more powerful air defense radar and combat system, and use of long range air defense missiles like the Barak-8, Aster-30, or SM-3 missiles.

Lastly, if a more powerful ship like the new corvettes are classified as corvettes, is it not logical to classify less powerful and probably slightly smaller warships like the Jose Rizal-class as corvettes too?

And the Philippine Navy must have already realized this before too. Why is that?

Based on the original submissions made by the Philippine Navy to procure additional frigates as part of the Horizon 2 Priority Projects, they have actually allocated a budget of Php18 billion (around US$380 million in 2016, most likely excluding ammo) for each future frigate in 2016. That is far higher than the current allocation of Php12 billion (around US$230 million in 2019, excluding ammo) for each new corvette, or the Php8 billion (US$170 million in 2016 excluding ammo). 

Even Indonesia, which just recently commissioned the Martadinata-class frigates, is now looking at larger frigate designs like the Danish Iver Huitfeldt-class or the Damen's Omega frigate for their needs. The Martadinata-class based on Damen's SIGMA 10514 is similar is size and quite similar in capability as the Jose Rizal-class frigates. Credits to original sources of both photos.

It would also be remembered that Philippine Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Adm. Robert Empedrad, in a recent press interview, mentioned that a new large frigate may cost around Php60 billion (around US$1.15 billion). Although his cost estimates were too high (even European navies pay less than US$1 billion for AEGIS-equipped air defense frigates), the idea is that they are looking at frigates with similar capabilities and obviously larger size than the new corvettes or the Jose Rizal-class frigates in the future.
 
MaxDefense will try to monitor this project, considering everything can still change since there is no contract nor even a Notice of Award released in favor of any shipbuilder. MaxDefense was told by sources that the NOA could be released before the end of October 2019, with a contract potentially ready for signing before the 2019 Christmas Holidays kick in.

More of the updates coming on the Corvette Acquisition Project will be posed by MaxDefense in its resource page for the project. It can be accessed on our website's AFP Modernization Projects portal, or through the link provided below:

"Corvette Acquisition Project of the Philippine Navy" - first posted on 17 August 2019.

Take note that all analysis posted in this blog entry are based on current information provided to MaxDefense, and may not be 100% accurate. But we try to be as close to the facts and truth as much as possible.

Project Summary:

Corvette Acquisition Project

Note: Edited as of 17 August 2019.

* End User: Philippine Navy (Offshore Combat Force)

* Quantity: 2 ships and assorted ammunition

* Modernization Phase: Horizon 2 Phase Priority Projects of RAFPMP

* Project ABC: Php28,000,000,000.00 (both lots)

* Acquisition Mode: Government-to-Government (G2G) Procurement

* Source of Funding: From other sources, to be paid via Multi-Year Obligatory Allocations (MYOA).

* SARO Release: TBA

* Winning Proponent: TBA

* Product for Delivery: TBA

* Contract Price: TBA

* First post by MaxDefense: 25 June 2013

* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PNCorvetteAcquisition #PNCAP

* Status: Pre-Procurement phase ongoing. Final negotiations ongoing with Hyundai Heavy Industries, award and contract signing exepected before end of 2019.

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First edit and release: 29 September 2019
Copyright MaxDefense Philippines

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