PH Navy expects 6 more AW159 helicopters, new offshore patrol vessels

The Philippine Navy is expecting the acquisition of six additional AW159 Wildcat helicopters and more offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) to augment its fleet in the next few years.

In a press briefing on Monday, Naval Air Warfare Force commander Captain Ariel Joseph Coloma said the Navy is looking forward to receiving six more AW159 helicopters within the next four to five years.

“Just recently, I think the [Department of National Defense] also announced, and it has already come out of the different news outfits, we are actually looking forward to additional six AW159 helicopters in the next four to five years,” Coloma said.

Coloma said the British-Italian made AW159 is already operational and have been deployed alongside the navy's flight deck-equipped frigates and corvettes in missions and exercises across the archipelago.

“Regarding the operationalization of the AW159, yes, it's already operationalized, and it has been deployed several times already, together with our frigates and corvettes,” Coloma said.

The Navy official said these helicopters are fully capable of anti-submarine warfare operations.

“The AW159 Wildcat helicopters are full [Anti-Submarine Warfare]-capable helicopters, so they can detect, identify, and prosecute subsurface targets,” Coloma said.

Meanwhile, Philippine Fleet commander Rear Admiral Joe Anthony Orbe said additional OPVs are also expected to strengthen the Navy’s operational presence.

“In all, at the Philippine Fleet, we have upwards of 80 platforms,” Orbe said.

Orbe said six OPVs are currently in the pipeline, with two already included in the Navy’s inventory.

“One will be christened on the 26th and will be commissioned on the 29th,” he said.

He added that the remaining four OPVs are expected to arrive by 2028.

“Initially, the schedule was two per year starting 2026, so the sixth will be delivered on 2028,” Orbe said.

According to Orbe, the additional vessels will significantly improve the Navy’s ability to sustain maritime patrols and maintain a constant presence at sea.

“We have a very huge maritime zone… and that is a challenge to the Navy. Having more assets… compared to what we had before, this is a big leap, a big boost to our capability,” he said. —RF, GMA News