The Philippines has never operated submarines in its history. For decades, submarines have been a sought-after acquisition by the Philippine Navy. These aspirations may come to fruition within the next five years in Horizon 3, the last and most significant phase of Philippine military modernization.
For the Philippines, the country’s small defense budget and other modernization priorities make submarine acquisition a significant commitment. Although these boats would bring a new capability, the strain that submarines would place on the Philippines has made the current Marcos Administration carefully consider its procurement options. Yet even with these challenges, interest in their procurement remains
It has been reported that plans to procure such assets are under development. The program’s budget is between 70-100 billion Philippine Pesos (1.25-1.80 billion USD) and has a requirement for two submarines. In this article, we will be looking at one of the leading contenders for the program: France’s Naval Group
Philippine Submarine Force Creation Project
Naval Group’s offer is made up of three core components, with an emphasis on not only the creation of the Philippines’ first-ever submarine force but also its sustainment. In a document provided by Naval Group to Naval News, these components consist of two Scorpène-class submarines, training of personnel, and the development of Naval Operating Base Subic.
The Scorpène-class diesel-electric submarines (SSK) have been the pick of four countries to date, including Brazil, Chile, India, and Malaysia. Of the four, Chile and Malaysia had deals that mirror the Philippine offer, with each procuring two of the class respectively. Brazil and India on the other hand ordered four and six respectively, along with the capability to construct the boats in country. While Naval Group’s offer does not stipulate the construction of boats domestically, it has been reported that several countries have offered to construct submarines in the Philippines in their proposals.
According to Naval Group, the Scorpène SSK design being offered to the Philippine Navy has a crew complement of 31 sailors, with a range of “more than” 10,000 NM and an at-sea endurance of 80 days. It should be noted that from these numbers alone, the variant being offered to the Philippines outmatches existing Scorpènes operated by Chile, Malaysia, and India in range and endurance. It also may indicate that the Philippine Scorpène is akin to Brazil’s derivative, the Riachuelo-class, which has a similar endurance.
From its six torpedo tubes, Scorpène can deploy a total of 18 munitions. These include SM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles and F21 heavyweight torpedos.
Naval Group also highlighted the use of Scorpène in other roles, such as intelligence gathering, special forces operations, and minelaying.
When asked how long it would take the first submarine to enter Philippine Navy service, Naval Group stated that the first boat would require five years to be built and an additional year of qualifications at sea before being transferred to the Philippine Navy.
In total, it would take six years for the first Scorpène to enter service. In other words, if procured under Horizon 3 (2023-2028) the first SSK would arrive between 2029 and 2034.
Training From Scratch
One of the main focuses of Naval Group’s offer is the training of the Philippine Navy. Training to not only operate the submarines but also to make sure that the force can sustain their knowledge in the long run.
The first batch of training aims to create Filipino crews that can train others within the force. This section of the program includes the training of Filipino sailors in France for four years, which would see them being trained to French standards in simulators. These sailors would also embed on French Navy submarines for training.
Previously, Naval News reported that Philippine sailors received training on submarines from DCI in France. Naval Group stated that this group’s experience was separate from the aforementioned training regime, instead relating to the Philippine Navy’s inquiry into Scorpène.
Two crews and a reserve team would be trained in France and would form the core of the Philippine Navy submarine squadron under Scorpène. These sailors would be the first-ever Filipino submariners, and would also be responsible for training future generations in the Philippines itself. To this end, Naval Group also plans to construct a Submarine Force Training Center at Naval Operating Base Subic.
Subic Bay Submarine Base
Historically, American ships and submarines operated out of the strategically located Subic Bay during the Cold War. The Bay’s access to the South China Sea and value for a basing location has once again been realized, this time by the Philippine Navy. Last May the service leased out a third of the Agila Subic Shipyard from Cerberus Capital Management, an American private equity firm, for the creation of Naval Operating Base Subic. The Philippine Navy plans to base its most capable and largest ships at the new base.
It is also here where the offer plans to base the Scorpènes and their support infrastructure. According to Naval Group and their graphic, the following modifications to Naval Operating Base Subic are:
- Four finger piers that can support both submarines and surface vessels
- Maintenance Yard
- Logistics Depot
- Command and Control facilities for the Submarine Force
- Submarine Force Training Center
The French company has previously conducted similar base projects in Brazil and Malaysia for their own Scorpène projects. A company representative referred to these bases, stating that “This unique expertise includes the creation of operational naval bases from scratch.”
Naval Group’s support aims to create a supply chain, from parts to maintenance specialists, that is organic to the Philippines. This aspect of their offer was highlighted in a response to a Naval News inquiry, with Naval Group stating: “Thanks to an extensive transfer of technology and know-how, the management, operation, and maintenance of the force will be conducted in the Philippines, by Filipinos, ensuring both the autonomy of the country and the creation of many long-term jobs.”
Autonomy and the transfer of knowledge to the Philippines is a heavily emphasized point in Naval Group’s offer, with the company even referencing Philippine aspirations towards a capable domestic defense industrial capacity by their mention of Self-reliant Defense Posture. The program, particularly on the naval front, has recently received more attention as regional tensions increase.
Franco-Philippine Naval Relations
The French Ambassador to the Philippines, Michèle Boccoz, also visited Naval Group during the first Philippine Fleet Defense Expo last month, where the company fully displayed its submarine offer.
France’s foray into submarines is one of the many angles the country takes in its defense, particularly maritime, relations with the Philippines. From the Navy’s first surface-to-air missiles with Mistral 3, to the Coast Guard’s first major patrol ship, and even a pledge to develop a shipyard focused on building maritime security vessels, France plays a sizeable role in developing Philippine maritime capabilities.
Earlier this year, FS Frairial (F731) held a training exercise with the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Capones (MRRV-4404) in the West Philippine Sea amid tensions between China and the Philippines on territorial disputes. This week, the new Aquitaine-class frigate FS Lorraine (D657) is in Manila for a port visit.
In January, Marcos accepted an invitation from Macron to visit France in June. Maritime security has been listed as one of the “priority areas” of Philippine-French cooperation by the French Ambassador.
