Philippines to Acquire Frigates with License to Manufacture

From the Manila Channel (Feb 9): Philippines to Acquire Frigates with License to Manufacture

A Supplemental Bid Bulletin was published by the Department of National Defense (DND) on 2 February, informing bidders of changes in the bidding documents of the Frigate Acquisition Program for the Philippine Navy. The bulletin also covers the Technical Specifications of the Frigate Acquisition, which is essential to prospective bidders to take part in the program.

According to the bulletin, the Philippine government is now acquiring two (2) Frigates with design that the Philippine Navy can legally own or have the license to build in the future. The revised specification also stated that the frigates should have a length of at least 92 meters long and a displacement of at least 2000 tons.

The frigates to be acquired should also be capable of surviving at Sea State 7. This is a notch higher than the previous specification of Sea Sate 6. There is no degradation of anti-air, anti-surface, and electronic warfare capabilities at Sea State 5, and no degradation of anti-submarine capacities at Sea State 4.

The frigates must be able to accommodate 12-ton helicopter units at flight deck, and have a hangar for a 10-ton helicopter.

The DND also became more specific on items such as hull form and layout, weapons, radar, and propulsion systems.

As of this writing, six firms are qualified to bid based on their eligibility during the first stage bidding held in 2013: NavantiaSepi (Spain), STX Offshore and Shipbuilding (South Korea), Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. (South Korea), Hyundai Heavy Industries Inc. (South Korea), Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. (India), STX France SA.

The schedule of submission to bid is set on 16 February.

http://www.manilachannel.com/military/philippines-to-acquire-frigates-with-license-to-manufacture/