Unsolicited game plan for the Philippine Navy

I’m no military expert. Just some ramblings on my fascination with military equipment and what I hope will happen for my country’s armed forces in such challenging times.

First up, my unsolicited game plan for the Philippine Navy!

1) The "corvette deal" and downgrading the Rizal frigates
The Philippines recently took delivery of its first Rizal class missile frigate a smaller version of the Korean Incheon class frigate. Cost for one of these ships was PHP8 bn and these ships supposedly carry guided missiles, torpedoes and is fitted for further upgrades for a vertical launch system (VLS) and a close in weapon system (CIWS).  On top of acquiring the new Rizal class frigates, the PN supposedly inked a deal for 2 additional corvettes worth Php15 billion per ship. Given that the Rizals retailed at Php8 billion, we can expect the new corvettes to be more capable in terms of sensors and armament.  

Max Defense actually thinks that the future corvettes will be larger and heavier than the Rizal class frigates which brings me to my suggestion: 

With the P15 billion budget per ship, perhaps the Philippine Navy (PN) should procure a full fledged frigate based on Korea's Daegu frigate while re-purposing the Rizal class frigates as corvettes.

The newer frigates can be closer to the Korean Daegu frigates in size and displacement (2,800 tones at 122 m) hopefully with better rated engines to power this new class of ships faster then the 25 knot maximum speed of the Rizals. Armament should include:

Armament for the PN's new “corvette”/frigate

a) Leonardo SR 76 mm main gun
b) MSI Sigma, Rafael Typhoon station with SPIKE missiles weapon system
c) 4 small caliber machine guns
d) a Close in Weapons System 
e) an 8-cell VLS
f) at least 4 twin surface-to-air Mistral rocket launchers or 2 quad SHORAD Tetral launchers
g) at least 2 quad C-star anti-ship missile launchers 
h) 2 SEA triple torpedo tubes with Blue shark torpedoes

i) 2 Mk Mod3 with 25mm gun & Spike NLOS missiles 

This positions the new frigates as having improved anti-air capabilities on top of anti-submarine capability. Basically the armament on the new frigates are very similar to the Rizal class frigates, with an additional pair of twin SIMBAD Mistral launchers, 2 quad C-star launchers (vs 2 twin on the Rizals).  

The frigates should also feature an upgraded secondary 30mm gun with missile capability (Aselsan Smash 30mm gun with quad LMM missiles shown below) and fully fitted with the CIWS and the VLS.

Downgrading the Rizals

Meanwhile, the Rizal class frigates may be reclassified as corvettes by simply retaining the current configuration (foregoing the CIWS and VLS) and finally purchasing the towed array sonar to improve its sonar capability. As currently outfitted, the Rizal class ships tick all the boxes in terms of armament, with anti-ship, surface to air and anti submarine weaponry however they don’t pack a lot of punch for any of these categories. The TASS will at least bolster its ability to detect submarine activity justifying its reclassification as corvettes.  

In the future the Navy can also consider installing the planned for 8-cell VLS and CIWS to bring the Rizal corvettes to full capability when budgetary constraints ease. Alternatively, the Rizals can simply tack on an additional pair of RC Simbad Mistral launchers and maybe a pair of weapons stations with missile complement such as the MSI Sigma or Rafael’s Typhoon station with 25mm guns paired with Spike NLOS missiles.

Should the Philippine Navy opt to do this, they will have a new corvette class (the re positioned 2,500 ton Rizals) for anti submarine warfare while procuring 2 new true blue frigates with both anti-submarine with improved air defense capabilities.

2) load up on OPVs- the Philippine Navy is set to purchase up to six offshore patrol vessels from Australia with Austal designing an 80 meter vessel with capacity for a helicopter. PHP30 billion has been set aside for this acquisition with each Offshore Patrol Vessel costing roughly PHP5 billion.

Although relatively lightly armed, it’s role in the navy will likely be limited to patrolling Philippine waters while calling in the bigger and more capable surface combatants should they run into trouble. With tensions flaring up in the west Philippine sea, it would be best to deploy as many of these fast and capable OPVs to secure our waters. Austal gave the OPV's the monicker, the "Pride of the Fleet" and we would agree, this ship class should be the focal point of the fleet as we need as many of these modern, decently equipped ships to safeguard our vast waters.  

Armament should approximate those fitted on the Del Pilar OPV as stated by Max Defense.

1) a 76 mm naval gun

2) 2 RCWS (ASELSAN Stop or Rafael Mk Mod3)

The PN also would want the following FFBNW:

3) 2 twin Simbad-RC Mistral launchers for SHORAD

4) 2 SEA triple torpedo launchers

The PN can also consider up gunning the planned RCWS with medium range missiles such as Spike NLOS missiles (pictured below).  Alternatively, RCWS can be equipped with shorter ranger Martlet missiles but the concept is the same.  

The planned OPV will be able to carry the new anti submarine Wildcat helicopters, which are assigned to the new Rizal class frigates. Carrying the Wildcat would improve the use and capabilities of the OPV despite not being equipped with a TASS although the OPV may likely be equipped with a hull mounted sonar.  

The OPV option looks like a cost effective route to improve Philippine presence in our own waters. The newer ships will look to complement and eventually replace the current batch of OPVs of Jacinto class corvettes and ex-Hamilton class cutters. Hopefully we can have at least 12 in the near term, and 18 eventually when the Del Pilar ships are retired.

3) Haggle for a 4th Hamilton cutter
An additional Hamilton-class cutter from the US could help augment the current patrol capability of the PN, increasing the number of hulls available while also taking on a ship that many a crew are now familiar with. The US will likely strip the ship down to bare bones, leaving basic navigation and sensors while also removing the Phalanx CIWS. So we should basically getting another BRP Bonifacio. 

One cutter remains in US service: the USCGC Munro. This acquisition should tide the navy over until the OPV fleet arrives and at least would allow some of its older siblings (Del Pilar and Alcaraz) some down time.

4) Pressure Korea for additional Pohang corvettes
Procuring an additional 2 frigates from HHI and perhaps another squadron of FA50s may just earn the Philippines enough brownie points to lobby for a pohang corvette or two from Korea. Getting our hands on additional hulls of not so dated but very capable hardware will bolster the fleet at a modest price tag.

The Philippine Navy fleet mix 
A) Frigates based on HDF3000 (up to 3)
B) Rizal class heavy Corvettes (repurposed Rizal class frigates) HDF2600 (up to 6)
C) Pohang class Corvettes 
D) Del Pilar class OPVs
E) New Austal designed OPVs (up to 12)
F) Jacinto class OPVs

The fleet should be laden with more patrol vessels given the need to cover much ground in the West Philippine Sea.  The Austal OPV design is perfect for this role as the 85m ships will be decently armed but hopefully outfitted with a wide array of sensors and sonar to help detect foreign intrusion into our waters.  Eventually, the venerable Hamilton cutters will eventually need to be retired with more Austal OPVs taking their place perhaps before 2025 as the Del Pilars mileage nears 60 years in total active service.  The target should be to have 18 OPVs operating at any given time with these relatively modestly sized ships patrolling our sovereign waters, constituting the Offshore patrol fleet.   

The PN should also have capable surface combatants, spearheaded by the new Frigate class based on the HDF 3000 of HHI (see above) which should hold its own against even the heavier ships on neighboring navies.  The second class of surface combatants will be the Rizal "heavy" corvettes, reclassified from the previous designation as frigates.  Relatively lightly armed for a frigate and noticeably heavier than most corvettes, the Rizals will fill in nicely as a "tweener" ship, the PN's version of a stretch forward with anti-air, anti-submarine and anti-ship capability.  Think Antawn Jamison, could do it all, but nothing particularly well.  The PN should have up to 6 of these corvettes.    Lastly, the third class of surface combatants may be the ex-South Korean Navy Pohang class corvette which are loaded with weaponry, but lack missile armament.  This fleet should constitute the Philippine main surface combatant naval fleet.