MBDA to supply surface-to-air missiles for new Philippine frigates

The Philippines defense ministry has awarded French defense contractor MBDA a contract to deliver surface-to-air missiles for its two José Rizal-class frigates currently under construction in South Korea.

The contract is worth EUR 10.6 million (approx. USD 12 million) and will see the French company deliver the SIMBAD-RC system with MISTRAL missiles for the Hyundai Heavy Industries-built vessels.

The first of the two ships, the future BRP Jose Rizal, is scheduled to be launched in May, twelve months after starting construction. It is expected to be delivered to the Philippines in the second half of 2020. The second ship in the class, BRP Antonio Luna, is scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2021.

The two 107-meter frigates are being built under a contract from October 2016. Based on the Hyundai HDF-3000 FFX-I multipurpose frigate design, they will have a speed of 25 knots and a cruising range of 4,500 nautical miles.