The 2,600 tons vessel with a maximum speed of 25 knots is the Philippine Navy’s first ever guided missiles frigate.
HHI shipped anti-COVID-19 supplies such as 20,000 masks, 180 bottles of disinfectants, 2,000 bottles of hand sanitizers and 300 packs of sanitizing wipes in the vessel as a token of returning gratitude for Philippines’ participation in the Korean War.
Also, HHI succeeded in delivering the vessel four months early despite the severe restrictions due to the pandemic.
Since the delivery of the first Korean-built frigate ROKS Ulsan in 1980, HHI has played a pivotal role in the modernization of ROK Navy designing major warships. And evidently it now expands its service to worldwide navies with advanced, affordable warships.
HHI is expected to deliver HMNZS Aotearoa, a 26,000-ton logistics support vessel of the Royal New Zealand Navy, in June 2020. You can see the vessel sailing alongside BRP Jose Rizal in this footage.
The South Korean Shipbuilder told Naval News that they are now pursuing a Corvette Acquisition Project of the Philippine Navy as well as the KDDX program for the ROK Navy.
KDDX is a next generation destroyer program for the ROK Navy. Korea’s two main shipbuilders, HHI and DSME, are competing, each with their own design.
The KDDX design by HHI features an inverted bow as well as an advanced integrated mast or I-Mast designed by South Korean defense electronics company Hanwha. HHI’s KDDX is 156 meters in length with a beam of 19 meters and a displacement of 6,500 tons.
South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration is expected to award the basic design contract this year.
