Manila: The Philippine Navy (PN)'s brand-new offshore patrol vessel, the future BRP Rajah Sulayman (PS-20), and its five sister ships, which will be delivered within the next two to three years, can be optimized for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions. Navy spokesperson Captain Marissa Martinez, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Friday, said this is possible as these ships have "mission modules" that allow them to carry a variety of missions. ASW is the naval mission where surface combatants or forces are tasked with detecting, tracking, and, if necessary, destroying hostile submarine contacts.
According to Philippines News Agency, the mission modules for the OPVs include ASW. Other mission modules of the Rajah Sulayman-class include search and rescue, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Depending on the tasking of the ships, these mission modules can be loaded before leaving port. Martinez added that the Rajah Sulayman-class OPVs will be effective for ASW as these ships are equipped with a helideck, unlike the older ships of similar design in the PN. "They can be paired with our ASW helicopters (for these missions)," she said.
The PN has two AW-159 "Wildcat" anti-submarine helicopters in service as of this posting. Reports said that around four to six more units are to be acquired to equip the two brand-new Miguel Malvar-class guided missile frigates and the Rajah Sulayman OPVs. Aside from ASW and other missions, the Rajah Sulayman OPVs can be deployed for operations "in the littorals until EEZ (exclusive economic zone)".
The future BRP Rajah Sulayman (PS-20) is the lead ship of the Rajah Sulayman-class OPVs and the first OPV constructed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for the PN. It is designed for sustained operations, allowing for consistent naval presence in the country's maritime zones, including the West Philippine Sea. These ships can also support maritime patrols, domain awareness, and law enforcement missions in accordance with international law, which will contribute to the protection of Filipino fisherfolk, and the promotion of safe maritime activities. Contracts for these OPVs are worth PHP30 billion. The ship was launched on June 11, 2025, at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea.
