The Philippine Navy's newest warship arrived in home waters earlier this week upon the completion of her delivery voyage from South Korea.
The future BRP Rajah Sulayman is the first in a planned class of six offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) that HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is building for the Philippine Navy.
Sulayman is scheduled to be commissioned in March 2026 while her sister ship, the future BRP Rajah Lakandula, will soon begin undergoing sea trials in South Korea.
The OPV honours Rajah Sulayman, a Filipino native leader who led an armed revolt against Spanish colonial forces in the early 1570s.
The OPV has a length of 94.4 metres, a beam of 14.3 metres, a draught of 3.7 metres, a displacement of 2,400 tonnes, space for two rigid inflatable boats, and a crew complement of 72. Two MTU-STX engines in a combined diesel and diesel arrangement will deliver a speed of 22 knots at 85 per cent MCR and a range of 5,500 nautical miles.
Her armament includes a Leonardo 76mm naval gun, two 30mm guns mounted on remote weapon stations, and two 12.7mm machine guns. A flight deck is also available for use by a 10-tonne helicopter or an unmanned aerial vehicle.
