Philippine $5.6 Billion Horizon-2 Phase to Fund Four Frigates, Submarines

The Philippine government has earmarked 300 billion Philippine pesos (U.S. $5.6 billion) for the five year Horizon-2, second phase of military modernization, which will run from 2018-2022.

The military modernization plan approved by the President Rodrigo Duterte will include equipment slated for acquisition during this period. “The Department of National Defense and the Department of Budget Management will talk on how to fund (these projects)," Department of National Defense (DND) spokesperson Arsenio Andolong confirmed Wednesday. 

The equipment that are to be acquired include towed and self-propelled howitzers, multiple launch rocket systems, armored recovery vehicles, five support vehicles, tactical radios, ground mobility equipment (light, medium, heavy), individual weapons, crew-served weapons, and night-fighting equipment for the Army; multi-role fighters, radar systems, light and medium lift aircraft, heavy lift helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters (attack and combat utility), special mission and long-range patrol aircraft for the Air Force; frigates, corvettes, submarines, amphibious assault vehicles, anti-submarine helicopters, attack crafts, medium lift helicopters and multi-role vessels for the Navy. 

The RAFPMP is divided into three horizons, with the first lasting from 2013 to 2017, the second from 2018 to 2022 and third 2023 to 2028. 

Acquired during the First Horizon were the three Gregorio Del Pilar cutters, three combat utility helicopters for the Navy, two naval attack helicopters, six multi-purpose assault crafts, eight combat utility helicopters for the Air Force and refurbishment of two Lockheed C-130 "Hercules" cargo planes, two strategic sealift vessels, 12 FA-50 fighter jets among others.

Aside from the two missile-armed frigates now undergoing construction at Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea, the Philippine Navy (PN) will be getting additional ships of the same class, Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said Wednesday. 

The two frigates being built by Hyundai Heavy Industries has a contract of PHP18 billion, including their weapon systems and munitions. 

They are designed to be capable of engaging air, surface and sub-surface threats. Deliveries are expected to start by 2020 and end on 2021.

The acquisition of the country's first diesel-electric submarines will be brought forward to Horizon Two of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program (RAFPMP).