Jose Rizal-class frigate

Based on HHI's offer on the Bill of Quantities (BOQ) Materials List on the Submission of Bids and Envelopes (SOBE) during the 2nd Stage Bidding, there were two options provided for most sensors and weapon systems. Out of the options, the Philippine Navy's Technical Working Group for the project chose the following:

• Thales TACTICOS Baseline 2 Combat Management System (CMS)[18]
• Thales NS-106 Active Electronically Scanned Array S-band Radar
• Thales TS82521 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) System
• Thales STIR Mk 1.2 Fire Control Radar
• Thales Bluewatcher Hull Mounted Sonar
• Thales Link Y Mk 2 Tactical Data Link
• Thales Vigile LW Electronic Support Measure (ESM), upgraded to Thales Vigile 100
• Terma C-Guard countermeasures system[19]
• Safran Paseo NS Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS)[20]
• MSI DS30 mm RCWS as secondary weapon
• L3 MAPPS Integrated Platform Management System

But after securing the contract, the sensors and weapon systems later then changed to a different configuration, using the following:

• Hanwha Systems Naval Shield Baseline 2 Integrated CMS[21]
• Hensoldt TRS-3D Baseline D multi-mode phased array C-band Radar
• Hensoldt MSSR 2000I Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) System
• Leonardo Selex ES NA-25X Fire Control Radar
• Harris Corporation Model 997 medium frequency active/passive ASW hull mounted sonar
• Hanwha Systems Link P Tactical Data Link (derived from Link K)[22]
• Elbit Systems Elisra NS9300A Electronic Support Measure (ESM)
• Terma C-Guard countermeasure system (retained)
• Safran PASEO NS Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS)(retained)
• Aselsan SMASH 30mm RCWS as secondary weapon
• Servowatch Integrated Platform Management System

Aside from the options, Hyundai and the Philippine Navy agreed to use the following weapon systems Based on the specifications provided by the DND, the frigate will be armed with the following weapons:[23][24]

• a primary 76 mm gun with 120 rounds/minute capability; Oto Melara Super Rapid 76 mm main gun.
• a secondary gun between 30 40 mm caliber, on a remote stabilized mount; Aselsan SMASH 30 mm RCWS as secondary weapon [25]
• at least four anti-ship missile systems with a minimum range of 150 kilometers and a minimum speed of Mach 0.8; LIGNex1 SSM-700K C-Star anti-ship surface-to-surface missiles.
• two twin launchers for anti-aircraft missiles, with a minimum range of 6 kilometers, with IR or semi-active homing seeker; MBDA Mistral missiles on MBDA Simbad-RC VSHORAD launchers
• two triple trainable lightweight torpedo launchers with torpedoes, with a minimum range of 2,000 meters, with active, passive, or mixed homing guidance and an operating depth between 10 and 600 meters deep; J+S/SEA Ltd. TLS-TT Shipboard Torpedo Launching System; LIGNex1 K745 Blue Shark torpedoes
• four heavy machine guns; S&T Motiv 12.7 mm K6 Heavy Machine Guns
• for a close-in weapons system(FFBNW)
• for an 8-cell vertical launch system (VLS) (FFBNW)
• for a Thales CAPTAS-2 Towed Array Sonar System (FFBNW)

BRP Jose Rizal Timeline:

On May 1, 2018, the steel cutting ceremony was held for P159 (project number of first of two frigates) at HHI shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, marking the first step of the vessel's construction journey.[26]

On Friday, October 16, 2018, HHI held the keel laying ceremony for P159 at HHI shipyard, marking the formal start of the construction of the ship.[27]

On December 20, 2018, Lorenzana announced at a press conference the names of the two future frigates being built by HHI: BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna.[28]

On May 23, 2019, HHI launched the first vessel, the prospective BRP Jose Rizal, at HHI shipyard. In the press briefing the same day, a Hanwha official said that Link 16 will likely not be compatible for the frigates until 2020 because of issues between US and South Korea.[26]

From November 2019 to February 2020, HHI held six sea trials. All of which the Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee (TIAC) reported “generally satisfactory” results.[29]

On May 23, 2020, the ship arrived in Subic Bay in the Philippines after a five-day sail from South Korea.[30]

BRP Antonio Luna Timeline:

On September 17, 2018, the steel cutting ceremony was held for P160 (project number of second of two frigates) at HHI shipyard at the Shin Hwa Tech facility in Pohang City, South Korea, marking the first step of the vessel's construction journey.[26]

On May 23, 2019, HHI held the keel laying ceremony for P160 at HHI shipyard, marking the formal start of the construction of the ship.[31]

On November 8, 2019, HHI launched the second vessel, the prospective BRP Antonio Luna, at Ulsan shipyard in South Korea.[32]

The ship's outfitting, sea trials and delivery were affected by restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[33] HHI conducted sea trials to test the vessel's seaworthiness, propulsion, communications, weapons and sensor systems.[34][35]

On December 18, 2020, the TIAC declared that the frigate is compliant with the agreed technical specifications after witnessing its performance during the sea trials.[36]

Based on the agreed timeline, the frigate is scheduled to sail out of Ulsan, South Korea on February 5 and is expected to arrive in Subic, Philippines on February 10.[37]

Issues arose over the decision made by HHI without approval by the Philippine Navy to use the Alternative Configuration in the selection of systems to be installed. Of particular concern were the radar and combat management system which were downgraded versions of the systems originally proposed. It was later revealed that the Contract was later changed to allow HHI final say over what equipment was installed on the vessels. No information is available on who authorized the change.

In January 2017, Special Assistant to the President Sec. Bong Go gave Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana a white paper endorsing Hanwha Systems which favours their Naval Shield Combat Management System (CMS) to be installed in the warships.[38] Sec. Go's office also asked then Frigate Project Technical Working Group chairman Commodore Robert Empedrad, to attend a meeting in Malacañang to discuss the selection of the CMS. Empedrad would later submit a written report addressed to Pres. Duterte and Sec. Go.

Sec. Go issued a blanket denial when reached for comment, saying he never intervened in the project despite a copy/photo of the white paper being leaked online. He said he did not give Sec. Lorenzana any white paper related to the project nor asked Commodore Empedrad to brief him on the CMS selection.[39]

The DND announced that it is welcoming any investigation on the project, noting that it has nothing to hide regarding the matter. DND public affairs office chief Arsenio Andolong made the statement in response to plans of the Senate minority bloc to conduct an investigation on the FAP.[40]

Another issue was on the question of HHI's qualification to build the frigates, as HHI was banned from participating in any South Korean tenders for two years. A case stemmed in 2013, after its top executive was found guilty of offering bribes in order to win the bid to supply parts for four nuclear reactors to be constructed at the United Arab Emirates.[41] In 2015, HHI was convicted and was penalized by a two-year ban. It sought to have the ban nullified in 2015, but the South Korean Supreme Court ruled with finality against the shipbuilder on December 22, 2017.[42]

The commander of the Philippine Navy, Vice Adm. Ronald Mercado was removed from his position for "insubordination" after Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana declared that he jeopardized the acquisition project.[43]

Mercado was unceremoniously replaced by Rear Adm. Robert Empedrad over the controversial P18-billion frigate acquisition project with South Korea's shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries.[44][45]

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• Kyan Sittha-class frigate, Myanmar
• Formidable-class frigate, Singapore
• Bhumibol Adulyadej-class frigate, Thailand
• Đinh Tiên Hoàng-class frigate, Vietnam