The Philippine Navy has received two Acero-class gunboats from Israel as part of a nine-vessel acquisition deal with the country.
The commissioning of fast-attack interdiction crafts (FAIC) PG-906 and PG-907 falls under the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Program Horizon 2 contract, an initiative to bolster the navy’s maritime capabilities through technology and shipbuilding transfers.
PG-906 and PG-907 are currently undergoing enhancements and maintenance at the Commodore East Posadas Wharf in Cavite, south of Manila.
The Philippine Fleet now has six Acero-class gunboats, with the three remaining FAICs expected to be constructed and delivered within the next two years.
Horizon 2 serves as the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ complete list of modernization projects, originally drafted to perform 300-billion pesos ($5.4 billion) in updates from 2018 to 2022.
A Welcome Update
Philippine Fleet spokesperson Lieutenant Giovanni Badidles said that the two vessels will be used in shoreline missions alongside other FAICs.
“It (deliveries) marks another milestone in the Fleet’s resolve of reinforcing the country’s littoral/coastal defense with modern fast patrol combat vessels that have proven to be highly reliable in addressing current and emerging threats, and transnational crimes,” he said.
Four of the boats will have non-line-of-sight missiles with pinpoint accuracy and a range of 25 kilometers (15.5 miles), while the remaining five will be equipped with Typhoon-mounted 30mm main cannons and .50-caliber heavy machine guns.