The Philippine Navy has taken delivery of two more fast attack interdiction-missile (FAIC-M) vessels from Israel Shipyards.
The delivery is part of the country’s Horizon 2 military modernization program launched in 2019 under former President Rodrigo Duterte.
According to Philippine Navy spokesperson Capt. Benjo Negranza, the boats were loaded into the general cargo ship M/V Mick and delivered to a naval shipyard in the central Philippines for a series of tests and crew training.
A total of nine FAIC-M vessels will comprise the fleet, with the first two already delivered and christened last year.
The two additional ships will first be christened in May before joining the Acero-class patrol gunboats.
The five remaining boats are expected to be delivered within the next two years.
Bolstering Maritime Security
The delivered boats are part of the Shaldag Class, a combat-proven fast vessel designed for naval security missions.
With a length of 32 meters (104 feet), the high-speed ships are equipped with short-range missiles that deliver precision strikes against high-value targets on land and at sea.
According to the Philippine Navy, four of the FAIC-Ms will be fitted with non-line-of-sight missiles with a maximum range of 25 kilometers (15.5 miles), while five of them will be armed with Typhoon-mounted 30mm main cannons.
“They are a welcome addition to the Navy’s capability to secure vital choke points, key sea lines of communication, and littoral areas of the country,” Negranza expressed.