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The second new frigate commissioned from South Korea is already in the country’s waters, giving the Philippine Navy a pair of its much-sought-after warships.
A Navy statement said that the soon to be officially named BRP Antonio Luna (FF151) sailed through Philippine waters near Caponese Island in Zambales on Tuesday.
“The sister ship of the FF151, the BRP Jose Rizal (FF150), performed the usual meeting procedure and the pass exercise (PASSEX) followed by the first maneuver exercises of both ships (MANNEX),” said the Navy in a statement. disseminated through cdr. Benjo Negranza.
Negranza, head of the Navy’s public affairs office, said the exercises were captured by an AW109 naval helicopter. The procedure was complemented by a flyby of three FA-50 aircraft of the Philippine Air Force.
“This time-honored maritime tradition was carried out to commemorate the arrival of the FF151 in our territorial waters and to extend and maximize training and systems familiarization opportunities for each crew on board in preparation for the independent operation of the ship,” said the Navy. .
The upcoming Antonio Luna was the second of two missile-capable frigates that the Navy acquired from South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) under the Navy’s capacity upgrade program.
“The frigate Antonio Luna will sail in formation with the frigate José Rizal through Manila Bay before heading to its anchorage area in Subic, Zambales, where the crew and personnel of Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) will observe the period of mandatory quarantine, ”said the Navy.
Negranza said that a formal arrival ceremony will take place later this month once the quarantine period is complete and the successful result of her COVID-19 smear test.
