Philippine opts for enhanced crew, combat capabilities on new frigates

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries said the Philippine Navy’s second pair of Miguel Malvar-class frigates will feature enhanced combat capability, operational performance and crew accommodation while retaining the basic design of the two ships commissioned in 2025. The South Korean builder cut steel for the first ship in the new batch on November 4, 2026, under a contract it valued at KRW 844.7 billion in a corporate filing. The common design is intended to simplify operation and maintenance across the class, and the shipbuilder did not identify the specific combat-system changes.