HD HHI floats out second Miguel Malvar-class corvette for Philippine Navy

South Korean shipbuilding company HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) has launched the second Miguel Malvar-class corvette for the Philippine Navy.

As informed, the launching ceremony took place at the company’s Ulsan facilities on March 27, 2025. The 3,200-ton corvette BRP Diego Silang is the second vessel from this class to be launched at the shipyard, following the launch of the first unit, BRP Miguel Malvar, in June last year.

The new corvette has a length of 118.4 meters, a width of 14.9 meters, a cruising speed of 15 knots (approximately 28 km/h), and a range of 4,500 nautical miles (8,330 km). The ship comes equipped with modern weapon systems such as a close-in defense weapon system, a vertical launching system, a hull-mounted sonar, and a search radar. 

The ship is named after Diego Silang, a leader of the Philippine independence movement who resisted Spanish rule and established an independent province. 

The corvette Diego Silang is scheduled to be delivered to the Philippine Navy in September this year, following the completion of its sea trials. The first ship in this class, Miguel Malvar, is slated for delivery on March 31, five months ahead of schedule, according to HD HHI.

“I am very pleased to have successfully launched the second ship, Diego Silang, following the first Philippine corvette. Based on the strengthened cooperative relationship between our two countries, we will continue to actively support the success of the Philippine military’s modernization,” HD Hyundai Heavy Industries President Lee Sang-kyun said.

The Philippine government had been carrying out a military modernization project to secure a number of ships to modernize and strengthen the power of its navy. The country has ordered a total of ten ships from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, including two frigates (2016), two patrol ships (2021), and six offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) (2022).