The Philippines is set to take delivery of the first of six offshore patrol vessels (OPV) built by South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries.
The future BRP Rajah Sulayman (PS-20) departed the HD Hyundai HHI shipyard in Ulsan on Tuesday, Jan. 13, bound for the Philippines, according to Naval News sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. A send-off ceremony, which has since circulated online, reportedly took place last week.
The 2,400-ton Sulayman-class vessels are part of a ₱30 billion ($573 million) contract signed with HD Hyundai HHI in 2022. Each ship measures 94 meters in length and 14 meters in beam. They have a cruising speed of 15 knots (approximately 28 km/h) and an operational range of 5,500 nautical miles (about 10,186 km). These OPVs are fitted with a Leonardo Super Rapid 76mm main gun, an Aselsan SMASH 30mm secondary gun, Terma C-Guard decoy launching systems, a Leonardo SPS-732 search radar, and a Safran Paseo XLR EO/IR system. As previously reported by Naval News, the Philippine Navy will acquire modular towed-array sonar systems (TASS) for three of its six OPVs.
The other ships in the class will be named BRP Rajah Lakandula (PS-21), BRP Rajah Humabon (PS-22), BRP Sultan Kudarat (PS-23), BRP Datu Marikudo (PS-24), and BRP Datu Sikatuna (PS-25). The Lakandula was launched last November and is expected to be delivered in the coming months.
In December 2025, the Philippines’ Department of National Defense signed a ₱34 billion ($585 million) contract with HD Hyundai HHI to acquire two new frigates for the Philippine Navy. This agreement added to a growing list of defense deals between Manila and HD Hyundai HHI. Over the past five years, the South Korean shipbuilder has delivered four frigates to the Philippine Navy. Once the current projects are completed, HD Hyundai HHI will have built a total of 12 warships for the sea service.
The Philippines has committed to allocate around ₱2 trillion (approx USD 35 billion) over the next decade to boost its military capabilities amid increasing tensions in the South China Sea.
