Philippine Navy Eyes Expanded Anti-Submarine Capabilities

Our Bureau - : Dec 6, 2024 - : 2:19 am

The Philippine Navy (PN) is seeking to bolster its anti-submarine warfare capabilities by acquiring additional platforms, a senior official confirmed. “We have submitted proposals for two more corvettes, I believe, or two more frigates,” said Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad,...

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The Philippine Navy (PN) is seeking to bolster its anti-submarine warfare capabilities by acquiring additional platforms, a senior official confirmed.

“We have submitted proposals for two more corvettes, I believe, or two more frigates,” said Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, the PN’s spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, during a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. His remarks were reported by the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on 3 December.

Trinidad stressed the importance of enhancing naval assets in response to increasing security concerns. He highlighted the inclusion of these platforms in the PN's strategic planning under the Re-Horizon 3 phase of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernisation Programme. “That need has been noticed by the PN years ago. That’s why in our Re-Horizon 3… that already includes more corvettes, more ships, and other anti-submarine warfare capabilities,” he said.

The announcement comes after the sighting of a Russian diesel-electric submarine near Mindoro Occidental in the West Philippine Sea on 28 November. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. described the incident as “very concerning.”

At present, the PN operates two missile frigates, the BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), both equipped for anti-submarine operations. Meanwhile, South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is constructing two guided-missile corvettes and six offshore patrol vessels for the PN, and Indonesia’s PT PAL is building two additional landing docks.

Trinidad also outlined plans to enhance the capability to detect submerged submarines in the country’s sea lanes. “The broad program is to develop the AFP's capability for undersea warfare,” he explained. Although further details remain undisclosed, he added that the Department of National Defense will decide which undersea warfare capabilities to prioritise.

Addressing current limitations, Trinidad acknowledged the PN’s ongoing efforts to improve. “Our underwater, undersea warfare capability is still modest. It is still (an) ongoing development. We have that modest capability but we have greater capabilities to track surface assets, surface targets,” he noted.

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