According to information published by the Philippine Ministry of Defense on May 2021, Philippine Navy confirms the acquisition of six OPVs (Offshore Patrol Vessels) in Horizon 2 of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program.
Citing the Philippine News Agency, “Regarding (the) OPV project, while it has been already approved, the next issue is where to find the money. As far as the senior leaders at the DND (Department of National Defense) level, the project’s inclusion has been approved for Horizon 2,” PN chief, Vice Adm. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency on Monday.
The AFP Modernization Program has three horizons. Horizon 1 started in 2013 and ended in 2017 while Horizon 2 is from 2018 to 2022 while Horizon 3 is slated from 2023 to 2028.
Among those earlier included in Horizon 2 are the acquisition of fast-attack interdictor craft missile (FAIC-M), landing docks, air search radars, and other external defense equipment. The OPVs are expected to replace the World War II ships that were earlier retired by the PN.