Philippines to Acquire 15 more Israel-made Shaldag Mark V Missile Boats

The Philippines said it is buying 15 additional Shaldag Mark V missile boats produced in Israel.

Its Navy confirmed the intention May 4.

PN chief Vice Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr. said the Navy is planning to acquire at least 15 more Israel-made Shaldag Mark V missile boats, which are the basis of its Acero-class patrol gunboats.

He said the additional Acero-class gunboats would help them to meet their requirements in "patrolling the seas of the country".

Meanwhile, Navy spokesperson Capt. Benjo Negranza said a christening ceremony for the two newly delivered fast attack interdiction craft-missile (FAIC-Ms) boats will be held on May 8 at Naval Station Pascual Ledesma, Fort San Felipe, Cavite City at 9 a.m. These FAIC-Ms will be christened BRP Gener Tinangag (PG-903) and BRP Domingo Deluana (PG-905).

Adaci said the FAIC-Ms will be assigned to the Littoral Combat Force.

"Said FAIC-Ms, which are part of the nine platforms contracted with Israel Shipyards, arrived from Israel on board the general cargo ship M/V Mick (on April 11). They were unloaded with the assistance of BRP Mamanwa (LC-294) and proceeded to the naval shipyard in Cavite for a series of tests and crew training," Negranza earlier said.

These FAIC-Ms will soon join the Acero-class patrol gunboats along with frontrunners BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901) and BRP Lolinato To-ong (PG-902) which were commissioned last November.

"They are a welcome addition to the Navy's capability to secure vital choke points, key sea lines of communication, and littoral areas of the country," Negranza said.

Five more are expected to be delivered within the next two years.

The 32-meter long FAIC-Ms are high-speed vessels equipped with quick intercept ability, remote stabilized weapons, and short-range missiles that are capable of delivering precision strikes against larger hostiles and high-value targets on land and sea.

Four of the FAIC-Ms will be armed with non-line-of-sight (NLOS) missiles and have a range of 25km while the other five will be armed with Typhoon-mounted 30mm main cannons and .50 caliber heavy machine guns.

The acquisition of these FAIC-Ms is among the 2019 projects approved by former President Rodrigo Duterte under the Horizon 2 List of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program.

The notice of award for the FAIC-M project, worth around PHP10 billion ($181 million), was issued on Jan. 5, 2021. These are expected to replace PN’s medium-sized patrol craft.