DND to Acquire SK 'Pohang' ASW Corvette for USD100

28 April 2017

Pohang class ASW corvette (photo : Korean DoD)

MANILA --- The Department of National of National (DND) will be acquiring a "Pohang" Flight III anti-submarine corvette from South Korea for just USD100.

This is possible as South Korea is now in the process of retiring the above-mentioned ship from its inventory.

"We have sent a letter to the Government of South Korea expressing our intent to acquire one Pohang class corvette. We are hoping to receive the vessel within the year (no specific date yet)," DND public affairs chief Arsenio Andolong said in a message to the Philippine News Agency Thursday.

"The transfer will be in the form of a donation, however, we will pay a token fee of USD100. The corvette will still undergo refurbishment, the cost of which we will shoulder," he added.

However, Andolong has no information on whether the transfer will include the ship's weapon and sensor suites and exact cost of the refurbishment.

But he added that the ship will definitely boost the Philippine Navy's capability to patrol the country's territorial waters aside from helping in the fight against piracy and terrorism.

"Pohang" are class of general purpose corvettes operated by the South Korean Navy.

Around 24 were built during the late Cold War and post-Cold War period. Out of this number, 18 are still in commissioned as of this posting.

These ships are armed with a variety of anti-sub, anti-ship, and anti-air weapons with their accompanying sensor gear and are capable of running to speeds up to 32 knots.

(PNA)