French defense system provider Naval Group said Tuesday it opened an office in Manila, marking the start of long-term cooperation with the Philippines.
“We are the only provider with previous experience in helping a country develop a submarine force from scratch, and we stand ready to assist the Philippines Navy by providing the submarines but also setting up the training, facilities and supply chain required to operate a fully operational submarine fleet,” Naval Group senior executive vice president for development Alain Guillou said in a statement.
The partnership aims to further develop the Philippine naval capabilities through collaboration efforts between the two entities, it said.
Naval Group is a reputable naval systems provider and integrator with a history of more than 400 years in the defense industry.
It has teamed up with more than 50 navies around the world and aims to bring to the Philippines its breadth of experience and unrivaled technical expertise in ships and submarines with combat systems and all critical equipment and services necessary to engage naval power in a theater of operations.
The company’s extensive portfolio opens opportunities to address the entire range of Filipino naval needs from development of the naval forces to the creation of a world-class submarine force.
Naval Group demonstrated in many countries such as in Malaysia, India and Australia its capability to support military capabilities and economic growth of its partners.
The opening of the Manila representative office enabled the firm to identify synergies and partners to support the needs of the Philippine Navy.
“The creation of the submarine force is a fantastic opportunity for us to develop long term partnerships with the local industry where there will be transferring of knowledge and technology that will also create hundreds of jobs for the program and beyond,” said Anne Clausard, country head of Naval Group.
The creation of the submarine force is part of the Armed Forces of the Philippine modernization program to protect the nation’s maritime sovereignty and interests.