HD HHI signs contract to build two new frigates to Philippine Navy
On December 29, 2025, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries announced a new contract with the Philippine Department of National Defence to provide two 3,200-ton frigates for the Philippine Navy.
HD HHI press release
HHI and the Philippine Department of National Defense (DoD) signed the contract for the “Philippine Navy Frigate Second Acquisition Program,” on December 26, 2025, in Manila, Philippines. Two frigates form a key component of the Philippine Navy’s Horizon 3 modernization plan. The delivery for two frigates will be made by 2029.
Since 2016, HHI has delivered two frigates and two 3,200-ton class corvettes to the Philippine Navy, to date. HHI is currently building six Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Philippine Navy.
The “Implementation Agreement for the Procurement of Specific Defense Products between Korea and the Philippines,” signed in 2009, has established the institutional foundation for direct negotiation between Korean companies and the Philippine Department of Defense.
The two Jose Rizal-class frigates, procured in 2016 as part of the first Philippine frigate project, were delivered in 2020 and 2021, respectively. They have proven their capabilities by serving as a key player in Philippine maritime operations.
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Naval News comments
As reported by Naval News last week, the total amount of the contract is ₱34-billion ($585 million).
The upcoming contract adds to a growing list of defense deals between Manila and HD HHI. Over the past five years, the South Korean shipbuilder has delivered four frigates to the Philippine Navy. It is also constructing six offshore patrol vessels, the first of which—the future BRP Rajah Sulayman—is scheduled for delivery in January 2026. Once completed, HD HHI will have built a total of 12 warships for the Philippine Navy.
The new additional frigates are expected to be based on the HD HHI’s HDF-3200 design. A DND procurement monitoring report released in July described the planned frigate acquisition as “inventory-based,” suggesting it would be a repeat order. The Malvar-class ships are armed with a 16-cell vertical launching system for VL MICA missiles, eight C-STAR anti-ship missile launchers, a Gökdeniz 35mm close-in weapon system, a 76mm main gun, two triple torpedo launchers, and an advanced AESA radar. The new ships are expected to be delivered in 2029.
