HD Hyundai Heavy Industries announced that the 2,600-ton Philippine frigate Jose Rizal, delivered by the company, participated in the annual Balikatan joint military exercise. The U.S. and Philippine military conducted the training in the South China Sea from April 22nd to May 10th.
Balikatan, a local Filipino term meaning shoulder to shoulder, has been an annual joint exercise between the U.S. and the Philippine military since 1991. This year, the exercise was held with the participation of over 16,000 people, including Philippine President Bongbong Marcos and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro. Jose Rizal is a leading warship of the Philippine military, built and delivered by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in 2020. On May 8th, the warship received local acclaim for perfectly hitting a target about 22.4 miles away during a fleet missile firing drill in the northern sea of the Philippines.
In addition to Jose Rizal, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries delivered another frigate of the same class (the Antonio Luna) to the Philippine Navy in 2021 and is building two corvettes and six offshore patrol vessels. In 2023, they also performed maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) on the Jose Rizal, which returned to Ulsan for refurbishment.
Joo Won Ho, Vice President at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, said, “The results of this exercise are a case in which South Korea’s shipbuilding capabilities and ship operation expertise have contributed to the naval power development of friendly countries,” and added, “It is expected to further improve the international trust and competitiveness of Korean defense.”