The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday said that the first of five 97-meter multi-role response vessels similar to its flagship, BRP Teresa Magbanua, is scheduled to arrive from Japan in 2027.
PCG commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan announced the procurement of the ships in an interview following the courtesy visit of his Japanese counterpart, Japan Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Yoshio Seguchi.
“We will buy five more ships of the same class as Teresa Magbanua,” Gavan said inside BRP Teresa Magbanua.
According to the PCG, the MRRV class, based on Japan’s Kunigami-class design, has a maximum speed of at least 24 knots and an endurance of at least 4,000 nautical miles.
The agency said this type of ship can conduct sustained maritime patrols in the country’s maritime jurisdictions, including the West Philippine Sea and Philippine Rise.