By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The Philippines has finalized an agreement with Japan for the transfer of five Abukuma-class destroyer escorts, marking a significant milestone in the country’s military modernization program and strengthening its maritime defense capabilities amid rising security tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. confirmed that the agreement has been completed, with only administrative requirements remaining before the transfer is implemented.
The five vessels, which are being retired from service by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), are expected to arrive in the Philippines within the next two to three years.
The transfer will be the first time Japan has provided retired surface combatants to a foreign country under its expanded defense equipment transfer policy, underscoring the deepening strategic partnership between Manila and Tokyo.
The agreement follows months of bilateral discussions after Teodoro and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi established a working group in May to oversee the planned transfer.
The Abukuma-class ships, commissioned between 1989 and 1993, were built for anti-submarine warfare, coastal patrol, and escort missions. Each vessel has a displacement of approximately 2,000 tons, measures 109 meters in length, and can reach speeds of up to 27 knots.
Their combat systems include a 76-millimeter OTO Melara naval gun, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, an ASROC anti-submarine rocket launcher, Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), and lightweight torpedoes, providing the Philippine Navy with a substantial enhancement in surface warfare and anti-submarine capabilities.
Teodoro said defense officials would inspect the ships before their formal turnover to determine their operational readiness and identify any upgrades required for their integration into the Philippine fleet.
The Department of National Defense is also studying the expansion of naval berthing and maintenance facilities to accommodate the incoming warships.
Once commissioned into Philippine service, the vessels will complement the Navy’s growing fleet, including the BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna guided-missile frigates, as well as the newer BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Diego Silang.
The planned transfer comes as the Philippines and Japan continue to deepen defense cooperation amid an increasingly complex security environment in the Indo-Pacific. Both nations have repeatedly expressed concern over China’s increasingly assertive activities in the West Philippine Sea and the East China Sea.
Military relations between Manila and Tokyo have expanded significantly in recent years, highlighted by the implementation of the Reciprocal Access Agreement, which facilitates joint military exercises, humanitarian operations, and defense cooperation.
Japan has likewise become a key defense partner of the Philippines through its Official Security Assistance program, providing security equipment, maritime assets, and infrastructure support to help strengthen the country’s external defense capabilities.
The acquisition of the five Abukuma-class destroyer escorts is expected to significantly enhance the Philippine Navy’s ability to safeguard the country’s maritime interests while reinforcing the growing security alliance between the Philippines and Japan.
ia/xf
