Turkish defence contractor ASFAT and Manila-based counterpart Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation (PADC) have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the construction of a new class of offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for the Philippine Navy.
Six ships are to be built under the program, which will have a budget of approximately PHP30 billion (US$573 million) if selected by the Philippine government.
Each OPV will have a length of 86.2 metres, a beam of 14 metres, a full load displacement of around 2,000 tonnes, a maximum speed of 22 knots, and a range of 6,000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 15 knots. Missions will include coastal defence, anti-surface warfare, anti-air warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).
