22 August 2019

Philippine Navy welcomes Po Hang-class corvette home

by Ridzwan Rahmat

BRP Conrado Yap, seen here in Manila as it docks for a welcoming ceremony. (Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images)

The Philippine Navy’s ex-South Korean Po Hang-class corvette arrived in Manila on 18 August.

The vessel, which is now in service as BRP Conrado Yap , was commissioned at its handover ceremony in Jinhae, South Korea, on 5 August.

It was previously in service with the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) as an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) variant of the Po Hang-class, Chung Ju, and retired in December 2016.

Subsequently, an intergovernmental agreement to transfer the corvette to the Philippine Navy was made in 2017.

Prior to its transfer, the vessel was equipped with additional air-conditioning compressor units on its superstructure to improve crew habitability and had installed new cranes that can deploy larger rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs).

Conrado Yap is equipped with two Oto Melara 76 mm naval guns, and four (two twins) 40 mm cannons, equally distributed between its forward and aft sections.

The vessel is also armed with six (two triple) 324 mm torpedo tubes, located on the port and starboard sides and racks for up to 12 depth charges.

The corvette has been assigned to the Philippine Navy’s Offshore Combat Force and will take on ASW patrols in the country’s territorial waters, and exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Conrado Yap is also expected to take on anti-submarine training missions for Philippine Navy personnel who will serve on the ASW-capable José Rizal-class newbuild frigates, which are expected to be delivered by Hyundai Heavy Industries between 2020 and 2021.

The Philippine Navy’s ex-South Korean Po Hang-class corvette arrived in Manila on 18 August.

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