Philippines Is Set To Receive Its First Guided Missile Frigate BRP Miguel Malvar FFG-06 in April
The Philippine Navy is about to integrate its first guided missile frigate of the Miguel Malvar class, the BRP Miguel Malvar FFG-06, with delivery expected in early April 2025. This ship, currently under construction by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) at the Ulsan shipyards in South Korea, is equipped with a 16-cell vertical launch system for MBDA VL MICA missiles, enhancing the Philippine Navy’s defense capabilities.
The Philippine Navy will receive its first guided missile frigate of the Miguel Malvar class, the BRP Miguel Malvar FFG-06, scheduled for delivery in early April 2025. This ship, being built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea, is equipped with a 16-cell vertical launch system for MBDA VL MICA missiles, further strengthening the country’s maritime defense.
The BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06) is a guided missile frigate of the Philippine Navy, currently under construction by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in South Korea. Its delivery is scheduled for early April 2025. This ship is a model from the Miguel Malvar class and represents a significant step in the modernization of the Philippine Navy’s fleet. With a length of 118.4 meters and a width of 14.9 meters, it has a displacement of approximately 3,200 tons, allowing it to reach a maximum speed of 25 knots thanks to its four MTU STX diesel engines, giving it a range of 4,500 nautical miles.
In terms of armament, the BRP Miguel Malvar is equipped with a 16-cell vertical launch system capable of firing MBDA VL MICA missiles, as well as two quadruple launchers for LIG Nex1 SSM-700K C-Star anti-ship missiles. For close defense, the ship is equipped with a 76mm Oto Melara gun, a 35mm ASELSAN GOKDENIZ weapon system, and four 12.7mm machine guns. It is also armed with K745 Blue Shark torpedoes, launched from two triple torpedo tubes. The ship integrates advanced electronic systems, including an EL/M-2258 ALPHA S-band 3D AESA air/surface search radar, Kelvin Hughes Sharpeye navigation radars, a Harris Model 997 bow sonar, and a Safran PASEO XLR fire control system.
A launch ceremony is scheduled for March 2025, followed by a thorough evaluation period before the official delivery of the ship. The BRP Miguel Malvar is the first ship of its class, designed based on HHI’s HDC-3100/HDF-3100 platform, an evolution of the HDF-2600 design used for the Jose Rizal-class frigates already in service.
This project is part of the Philippine Armed Forces Revised Modernization Program, Horizon Phase 2, aimed at improving maritime defense capabilities in the face of current security challenges. The delivery of the BRP Miguel Malvar marks a significant step in the modernization of the Philippine Navy’s surface fleet.
The second ship of this class, the BRP Diego Silang FFG-07, is under construction and is expected to be delivered by the end of 2025. These acquisitions strengthen the strategic presence of the Philippine Navy in the South China Sea, reflecting the country’s ongoing efforts to modernize its naval defense capabilities.