French missile specialist MBDA has completed deliveries of the Mistral 3 surface-to-air missiles (SAM) for the two new Jose Rizal-class frigates of the Philippine Navy.
The service announced over the weekend that the missiles, which are also in service with the French armed forces, had been delivered at Subic Bay International Airport in Bataan on October 8.
MBDA delivered the missiles for BRP Jose Rizal (FF150) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF151), which were delivered from South Korea in July 2020 and March 2021, respectively.
Jose Rizal-class frigates displace 2,600 tons and have anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare and electronic warfare capabilities. They are set to carry surface to surface missiles, surface to air missiles, and torpedoes. The primary gun is the 76mm Super Rapid gun while the secondary is a 30mm gun. The ships also have chaffs and decoys as defense against incoming missiles.
“Surface-to-air missiles are among the primary weapons of FF150 and FF151 that bolsters the PNs anti-air warfare capability. The arrival of these missiles will greatly capacitate our JRC frigates in the conduct of their maritime operations,” the Philippine Navy said in a statement.
South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) delivered the two 107-meter frigates to the Philippines under a contract from 2016.
