The Philippine Navy has officially commissioned its most advanced warship to date, the BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06) — the first Navy vessel equipped with a vertical launch system (VLS) capable of firing missiles in any direction without needing to maneuver.
“This is our first asset with VLS onboard. Unlike other ships that require maneuvering to fire at air targets, BRP Miguel Malvar can fire in any direction. It’s omni-directional,” said Navy spokesperson Capt. John Percie Alcos during a press briefing on Tuesday.
The VLS is optimized for surface-to-air defense, giving the Navy stronger capabilities to respond to aerial threats. With this technology, the BRP Miguel Malvar significantly enhances the country’s maritime security.
The frigate weighs 3,200 gross tons, stretches 118.4 meters long, and can travel 4,500 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 15 knots, reaching up to 25 knots at maximum speed.
It is equipped with modern surveillance systems and weapons for multi-domain combat, including:
- 16 VLS tubes for air defense
- Eight C-Star surface-to-surface missile launchers
- Two triple Blue Shark torpedo tubes for anti-submarine warfare
- An Oto Melara main gun
- 35mm Aselsan close-in weapons system
- Four .50 caliber heavy machine guns
A sister ship, BRP Diego Silang (FFG-007), is set to arrive by June or July. Prior to this, the Navy’s most advanced ships were the Jose Rizal-class frigates — BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna.