After all the self-inflicted delays, the transfer of a Pohang-class corvette to the Philippine Navy (PN) is indeed finally happening before the middle of 2019.
Aside from the press statement made by the Philippine Navy's Flag Officer in Command (FOIC) Vice Adm. Robert Empedrad confirming that the Pohang-class corvette donated by the South Korean government will be delivered by March or April 2019, MaxDefense was also able to obtain similar information from several defense and naval sources.
Based on the FOIC's statements alone, the assigned officers and crew members of the ship will be departing for South Korea before the end of January 2019. MaxDefense sources added that there are still possible delays, although the full deployment of all crewmembers to South Korea will definitely be completed before February 2019 ends.
The ship involved, the former ROKN Pohang-class combat corvette ROKS Chungju (PCC-762), one of the four Flight III ships of the class. She was commissioned with the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) in 1987 and served the ROKN until 2016.
The Flight III ships were not equipped with anti-ship missiles, unlike the Flight II (MM38 Exocet) and Flights IV & V (Harpoon). The Flight III was configured more for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW).
The Philippine Navy recommended the replacement of removed systems especially on navigation and communication systems. And although they did not appropriate funds to acquire a new Electronic Support Measures (ESM) and Mistral firing station, the ship is now proven to be able to accommodate such subsystems. The current planned acquisition of Radar-ESM by the Philippine Navy for the Del Pilar-class Frigate Upgrade project, as well as the planned use of MBDA Mistral missiles on the upcoming new frigates could be a basis for future upgrade on the Pohang-class corvette.
Another item for installation by the Philippine Navy is a deck crane for a 7-meter Zodiac-type RHIB.
The Department of National Defense and the Philippine Navy are also in coordination with the South Korean Ministry of Defense on the acquisition of 76mm, 40mm, and 12.7mm ammunition, heavy machine guns, spare parts, supplies, and others. Should the DND and PN fail to secure the transfer of ROKS's existing stock of ammunition, it is expected that the DND and PN might shell out additional funds and purchase directly from Poongsan Corporation, which is the ROKN's supplier of naval gun ammunition.
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