National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said during the House of Representatives budget briefing for Department of National Defense (DND)’s 2020 proposed budget that the 2 new corvettes to be acquired under Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program Second Horizon may be delivered in 2022 or 2023.
“There is a plan to procure, to have Hyundai [Heavy Industries] or other shipyard our two corvettes in the next year,” Secretary Lorenzana said at the House of Representatives budget briefing.
“So before 2022 naka-pirma na ‘yung kontrata and the delivery might be at the end of 2022 or 2023 na ‘yung dalawa na ‘yun,” he added.
Secretary Lorenzana previously said that the South Korean government is willing to provide financing for the Corvette Acquisition Project for Philippine Navy.
Hyundai Heavy Industries is currently building the Philippine Navy’s two brand new Jose Rizal-class frigates.
“[A]ng gusto ng Navy dahil para iisa lang ang gagawa ng ating frigates tsaka ‘yung corvettes. Para yung sistema nila is pare-pareho, yung mga parts, whatever, interoperability para kung may [masira], madali lang ma-repair,” Secretary Lorenzana said.
(Mintfo)