PH Navy sends recommendation on possible transfer of warships from Japan

The Philippine Navy on Tuesday said it has submitted a recommendation on the possible transfer of Japanese warships to Manila after they conducted an inspection of the vessels last August.

In a press briefing, Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense will deliberate on the matter.

“The Philippine Navy has submitted the recommendation to higher headquarters. It is most likely under the deliberation at the level of the General Headquarters or the Department of National Defense,” Trinidad said.

“Whatever the result of the deliberation, the appropriate public affairs announcement will be given,” he added.

In August, the Philippine Navy sent a team of experts to Japan to inspect the warships. The team was composed of surface warfare officers, sea systems experts, financial analysts, and logisticians.

“A delegation of naval experts from the Philippine Navy will be dispatched to conduct an in-depth assessment of the ships. The outcome of this inspection will guide further deliberations on the potential acquisition and its alignment with the Philippine Navy’s modernization efforts,” the Philippine Navy earlier said.

Based on a report from Japanese media in July, Tokyo is set to export six warships to the Philippines.

A translated report from the Yomiuri Shimbun said the Philippines and Japan have agreed to the export of six used Abukuma-class destroyer escorts that were commissioned from 1989 to 1993.

The information was revealed by “multiple Japanese government officials,” the report said.

“Defense Minister [Gen] Nakatani and Philippine Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro confirmed the export of the used escort ships during a meeting in Singapore in early June. The exports are expected to consist of six Abukuma class destroyers of the [Japan Maritime Self Defense Force],” the Shimbun article reported.

Classified as general-purpose destroyer escorts employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), the 2,550-ton Abukuma class ships have been in service for over 30 years. 

Due to a shortage of navy personnel, the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) decided to gradually retire and replaced the Abukumas with new ships that require fewer crew to operate, according to the Japanese media.

“If the export of these used destroyers is realized, it will be the first such case. The export of the destroyers aim to improve interoperability with the Philippine military and jointly strengthen deterrence and response capabilities against China, which is unilaterally advancing into the ocean,” the publication said. — RF, GMA Integrated News