The Philippine Navy’s first Rajah Sulayman-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV), BRP Rajah Sulayman (PS-20), has officially begun sea trials off the coast of South Korea, marking a major step in the country’s naval modernization efforts. The vessel is the lead ship of a six-unit class being constructed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) under a $573 million contract, with deliveries planned between 2025 and 2028.
Built at HHI’s Ulsan shipyard, BRP Rajah Sulayman is based on the HDP-2200+ design, featuring a full-load displacement of around 2,450 tonnes, a top speed of 22 knots, and an endurance of 30 days. Delivery is expected by late 2025, followed by final acceptance in March 2026 once outfitting and trials are complete.
Each Rajah Sulayman-class OPV measures 94.4 meters in length and is powered by two MTU-STX diesel engines driving Kongsberg controllable-pitch propellers, providing a range of 5,500 nautical miles at 15 knots. The ships are designed for long-duration patrols, anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, and exclusive economic zone surveillance, and feature a low-radar-signature hull optimized for endurance in rough seas.
The vessel’s main armament includes a 76 mm OTO Melara Super Rapid gun, two Aselsan SMASH 30 mm remote weapon systems, and two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns, with space reserved for future missile or close-in weapon systems. It features a flight deck and hangar capable of supporting 10-ton helicopters such as the AW109 and can also deploy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for reconnaissance missions.
The sensor suite combines systems from South Korea and Europe, including a Hanwha Systems combat management system, Leonardo SPS-732 radar, Safran PASEO XLR electro-optical director, and Hensoldt SharpEye navigation radar. Some ships in the class will also carry GeoSpectrum TRAPS sonar for anti-submarine operations.
The Rajah Sulayman-class replaces aging World War II-era patrol ships and complements the Jose Rizal-class frigates and upcoming HDC-3100 corvettes, all built by Hyundai Heavy Industries. The remaining five vessels — BRP Rajah Lakandula (PS-21), BRP Rajah Humabon (PS-22), BRP Sultan Kudarat (PS-23), BRP Datu Marikudo (PS-24), and BRP Datu Sikatuna (PS-25) — are currently under construction and scheduled for sequential delivery until 2028.
Once all ships are commissioned, the Philippine Navy will operate a modern, long-range patrol force capable of sustained operations across its vast maritime domain, strengthening national security and maritime law enforcement across the South China Sea and Luzon Strait.
