Frigate (Full Complement) Acquisition Project of the Philippine Navy

Philippine Defense Resource September 07, 2025 0

The HDF-3500 design from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, believed to be the frontrunner in the Frigate (Full Complement) Acquisition Project. Photo credits to Frances Mangosing.

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Project Summary:

Frigate (Full Complement) (aka Frigate Phase 2) Acquisition Project:

Note: Edited as of 07 September 2025.

* End User: Philippine Navy (Offshore Combat Force)

* Quantity: 2 units including ILS and munitions

* Modernization Phase: Re-Horizon 3 Phase of RAFPMP,

* Project ABC: Php42,195,400,000.00

* Acquisition Mode: Government-to-Government (G2G) with still unidentified country.

* Source of Funding: Multi-Year GAA Allocations for the Revised AFP Modernization Program starting FY2025

* SARO Release/s: TBA

* Winning Proponent: TBA

* Product for Delivery: TBA

* Contract Price: TBA

* Residual Amount: TBA

* First post by MaxDefense: 07 November 2023

* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PNFrigatePhase2Acquisition #PNFrigateFullComplementAcquisition

* Status: The project is a follow-on to the Frigate Acquisition Project implemented under Horizon 1 phase, as the Philippine Navy requires more surface combatants as the service grows in size and capability and to replace retired ships. Project was part of Horizon 3 proposal, and was carried over to Re-Horizon 3 phase with a the same budget. Project Terms of Reference reportedly approved as of early 2025, with a Contract expected to be signed possibly with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries before the end of 2025.

The HDF-3200, used for the Miguel Malvar-class, could also be a potential design to be used for the Frigate (Full Complement) Acquisition Project. Photo credits to Philippine Navy.

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Overview:

As part of previous modernization plans of the Philippine Navy, there are requirements to acquire several major surface combatant ships to not just replace ageing assets, but also as part of plans to grow the fleet size and overall capabilities.

Under the original 1995 AFP Modernization Program under Republic Act 7898, there was a plan to have 3 new guided-missile frigates ordered and under construction by 2010. But this was not realized due to budget constraints and other factors.

Under the 2012 Revised AFP Modernization Program under Republic Act 10349, a new plan was made, which includes the "Desired Forces Mix" which included a requirement for 6 air-defense frigates and 12 anti-submarine corvettes, although a concrete plan to cover the entire program was not made, and instead a plan for the first 5 years covering the so-called "Horizon 1" phase from 2013 to 2017 was made.

The Desired Force Mix plan, which shows the need for 6 anti-air warfare frigates. Photo credits to original source.

Among them were the acquisition of 2 new frigates under the Frigate Acquisition Project Lot 1, which ultimately led to the awarding of the project to South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI, now HD Hyundai Heavy Industries) and the construction and commissioning of the Jose Rizal-class frigates of the Philippine Navy, which were based on HHI's HDF-2600 light frigate/corvette design.

As part of Horizon 3 phase from 2023 to 2027, a proposal to acquire 2 more frigates has been raised with a proposed budget of Php43,195,400,000.00. The new frigates, together with additional new and used corvettes, would allow the Philippine Navy to defend the sea gaps in the West Philippine Sea and Northern Luzon.

Several alternative proposals have been made for the Horizon 3 phase, but in all versions, the acquisition of 2 additional frigates have always been part of the priority.

With Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. ordering a re-evaluation of the Horizon 3 phase which led to the formation and approval of the "Re-Horizon 3" phase by Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., again the acquisition of two new frigates remained in the high priority, with the budget remaining the same at Php43,195,400,000.00.

Our parent page MaxDefense Philippines provided several insights on this project as well as information that appears to be unavailable from any official publications.

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Analysis on Potential Specifications:

While the Philippine Navy has not released the technical specifications for the project, it is highly anticipated that the Philippine Navy will mostly re-use those from the Corvette Acquisition Project, which ultimately led to the Miguel Malvar-class that were reclassified as frigates due to their size and capability.

This may include the following:

Weapons Suite:
* 1 x 76mm naval gun, most likely the Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid;
* 2 x 8-cell Vertical Launching System, which could be for MBDA VL-MICA NG or other systems;
* 2 x triple lightweight anti-submarine torpedo launchers, most likely from UK company SEA;
* 2 x quadruple anti-ship missile launchers, most likely the LIG Nex1 SSM-710K C-Star anti-ship missiles if ship awarded to HD HHI or Hanwha Ocean, otherwise the MBDA Exocet Block III;
* 1 x gun-based close-in weapon system, probably the Aselsan Gokdeniz 35mm CIWS

The Aselsan Gokdeniz CIWS might be specified, which is now allowed under the New Government Procurement Act if the item is already in service. Photo credits to Philippine Navy.

Sensor Suite:
* Combat Management System, will depend on who the winning shipbuilder will be;
* 3D AESA primary air/surface search radar;
* 2D secondary & navigation surface search radar;
* Fire Control Radar;
* Hull Mounted Sonar;
* Towed Array / Variable Depth Sonar;
* Radar and Communications Electronic Countermeasures or Electronic Support Measures (R-ECM/R-ESM & C-ECM/C-ESM);
* Electro-Optical/Infra-red (EO/IR) camera tracking system;

Propulsion System:
* Combined Diesel and Diesel (CODAD) configuration

Flight Support:
* Helideck and hangar for 10-ton naval helicopter (ie. AW159 Wildcat and/or MH-60R Seahawk) and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Potential Offers:

Like before, the promotion of warships during defense exhibitions provides the best way to analyze what could be in offer to the Philippine Navy as well as to other navies in the world.

Among them is the Asian Defense and Security (ADAS) Exhibition 2024, which actually provided a hint on the potential acquisition of new frigates and corvettes under the Horizon 3 / Re-Horizon 3 phase.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries - HDF-3500 frigate design:

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' booth actually included an infographic showing such hint, while also displaying a proposed HDF-3500 frigate design, which Naval News later on mentioned as HD HHI's proposal for the Horizon 3 phase frigate.

As the name suggests, the HDF-3500 is a 3,500-ton class frigate, which makes it larger than both the Jose Rizal-class (based on HDF-2600) and Miguel Malvar-class (based on HDF-3200).

The scale model appears to show the potential weapons suite which include a 76mm naval gun that looks like the Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid naval gun, 2 x 8-cell Vertical Launching Systems (VLS) for surface-to-air missiles, 2 x quadruple anti-ship missile launchers, 2 x triple lightweight anti-submarine torpedo launchers, a gun-based close-in weapon system that looks like the Aselsan GOKDENIZ 35mm CIWS.

Sensors and antennas appear to be similar to that of the Miguel Malvar-class, although it will remain to be seen what the final fit-out would be proposed.

The HDF-3500 proposal to the Philippine Navy. Photo screen-grabbed from Naval News' report.

Hanwha Ocean - Ocean 4300 frigate design;

While it was not explicitly said to be offered to the Philippine Navy, Hanwha Ocean displayed their Ocean 4300 frigate design to show that the are also capable of building surface warships like frigates and corvettes, despite their focus on offering submarines to the Philippine Navy.

The Hanwha Ocean 4300 frigate design. Photo screen-grabbed from Naval News.

It is possible for Hanwha Ocean to modify the design of the Ocean 4300 to meet the specifications and budget of the Philippine Navy's Frigate project, and there are already several possible options including the replacement of the 127mm gun to a 76mm gun, reducing the VLS cells from 32 to 16, replacing the sensors, among others.

Naval Group - FDI frigate design

There were earlier information that France's Naval Group initially offered their FDI frigate and the Gowind light frigate/corvette designs.

The FDI frigatem short for "Frégate de défense et d'intervention" or Intervention and Defense Frigate, is the French Navy's next generation general purpose frigate as the Amiral Ronarc'h-class, as well as exported to Greece as the Kimon-class.

But due to the working budget for the project, it appears that Naval Group was priced out of the project. According to sources, the Philippine Navy's budget is just enough to build a single fully-equipped FDI frigate.