By Priam Nepomuceno
July 7, 2026, 5:43 pm
MANILA – The Philippines will be getting five newly-retired "Abukuma"-class destroyers from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), boosting its naval capabilities, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said on Tuesday.
"Administrative details na lang ang inaayos pero done na yun (Administrative details are being finalized but it’s already a done deal)," Teodoro said when asked by journalists for updates on the project.
The general-purpose warships are part of Japan's Official Security Assistance, which is a new cooperation framework started in April 2023.
Teodoro said the provision of the frigates is a "sign of goodwill" from the Japanese government, along with deals including radars and other equipment.
Deliveries of the ships are seen to be done within "two to three years”, following the discussions that started last year.
Teodoro said they will look into the "current condition" of the ships to determine what Philippine naval capabilities these Japanese craft can best match or pair with.
He said they will also look into constructing berthing or docking facilities for these vessels, noting that the country will get new warships in the coming years.
Japan's "Abukuma"-class destroyer escorts have a displacement of 2,000 gross tons, a length of 109 meters and a beam of 44 meters. It has a top speed of 27 knots and is armed with various anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine rockets and torpedoes along with a 76mm main gun and 20mm closed-in weapon system.
The JMSDF operated a class of six ships, which were constructed from 1988 to 1991. These ships are optimized for anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare.
Chinese firing of ballistic missile pointless
Meanwhile, Teodoro said China's launch of a ballistic missile from one of its submarines from the Pacific Ocean is "pointless" since it is not a "South Pacific country.”
He said China's showcasing of its military muscle is a provocative act.
"This is a pattern, sa tingin ko, ng provocation ng China na magpakita ng muscle (I think, this is a pattern of provocation by China to show muscle),” he added. (PNA)
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