PH Navy Vows 'Very Thorough' Inspection of Used Warships from Japan

09 Juli 2025

JMSDF Abukuma class destroyer escorts (photo: War Thunder)

MANILA – The Philippine Navy (PN) will be "very thorough" in its Joint Visual Inspection (JVI) of the Japanese Abukuma-class destroyer escorts that are being eyed for transfer to the Filipino naval service once decommissioned by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense (JMSDF), an official said Tuesday.

"We will be very thorough with the assessment that we'll be conducting. We will be inspecting six 109-meter ships, systems, weapon systems, hull, machinery," PN spokesperson Capt. John Percie Alcos said in a media briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

"This will entail a very detailed inspection, as well as a very detailed assessment and evaluation."

Alcos said the inspection team would consist of surface warfare officers and sea systems experts, as well as financial analysts and logisticians.

He said they would base their recommendations on the results of the inspection, which is scheduled sometime next month and is expected to be concluded within two weeks.

"The PN will be sending (recommendations) based on what will be known, or what will be inspected, or the results of the JVI. We'll be forwarding appropriate recommendations to General Headquarters and the Department of National Defense," Alcos said.

He added that among the objectives of the JVI is to determine the remaining service life of the Abukuma-class destroyer escorts.

"That will be known upon the conduct or after the conduct of the JVI. That is actually the objective of the JVI, to determine the operational viability of the transfer," he said.

Alcos said such ships, if ever transferred to the PN, would greatly enhance the service's capabilities to support the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept, which aims to develop the country's capability to protect its entire territory, including its exclusive economic zone.

He also said that the ships are very similar to the PN's Jose Rizal-class guided missile frigates that were acquired from South Korea in 2020 and 2021.

"These (ships are) very similar in terms of gross tonnage, speed, length to the Jose Rizal-class frigates. These destroyer escorts also have specific capabilities that we require: anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, electronic warfare, anti-air warfare," Alcos said.

The Abukuma-class destroyer escorts have a displacement of 2,000 gross tons, a length of 109 meters, and a beam of 44 meters. It has a top speed of 27 knots and is armed with various anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine rockets and torpedoes, along with a 76mm main gun and 20mm closed-in weapon system.

The JMSDF operated a class of six ships constructed from 1988 to 1991. 

(PNA)