Hyundai Launches Construction of Philippine Navy’s Second Missile Frigate

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has completed steel-cutting for the Philippine Navy (PN)’s second missile-armed frigate at Pohang City, South Korea.

In a statement Wednesday, PN said this was held at the Shin Hwa Tech facility, a sub-contractor of Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), the shipyard builder that won the PHP18-billion (US$333.7 million) contract for the two ships. 

Steel-cutting is considered the official start of construction (building) process. 

The project number for the second frigate is P160. Meanwhile, the keel-laying for the first frigate with project number P159 will be on Oct. 16 at Dock Number 6 of HHI Special and Naval Shipbuilding Division, Ulsan, South Korea. 

Steel-cutting for the first frigate took place last April.  The projected delivery date of the PN first missile-armed frigate is by 2020 with the second frigate in 2021, Commander Jonathan Zata, PN spokesperson said.

The PN Frigate Project is part of the ongoing modernization program that seeks to provide a credible defense capability for the PN and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.