The BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), the inaugural guided missile frigate of the Philippine Navy (PN), recently arrived at the Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea on June 15. This visit marks the vessel’s first dry-docking and related repair operations since its commissioning in July 2020. According to a recent Facebook post by the ship, the BRP Jose Rizal will undergo comprehensive maintenance, repair, and overhaul services provided by HHI. These services encompass the replacement or repair of worn-out machinery components while ensuring the fulfillment of all applicable warranty claims for the ship. Upon its arrival at the HHI shipyard, the BRP Jose Rizal was warmly received by the crew of the ROKS Jeongjo the Great (DDG-995), a guided missile destroyer also undergoing maintenance activities at the same facility. Due to security considerations, specific details regarding the duration of the BRP Jose Rizal’s stay in Ulsan and the nature of the maintenance procedures or upgrades it will undergo have not been disclosed.
BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) is the lead ship of her class of guided missile frigates of the Philippine Navy. She is the first purpose-built frigate of the service, as its major warships were mostly obtained from retired patrol ships of other countries. She is also one of the navy’s primary warships able to conduct multi-role operations, such as coastal patrol and anti-submarine warfare. It possesses capabilities for anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and electronic warfare operations. The vessel was originally launched at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea on May 23, 2019. Its sister ship, the BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), was also constructed at the same facility and launched on November 8 of the same year. The BRP Jose Rizal was officially commissioned into service on July 10, 2020. The procurement contract for both ships amounted to PHP16 billion, with an additional PHP2 billion allocated for weapon systems and munitions.
