The sixth sea acceptance trial of the Philippine Navy (PN)’s first-ever missile frigate, BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), was generally satisfactory.

“The 6th Sea Acceptance Trial (SAT) of BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) conducted in Ulsan, South Korea on 16-22 February 2020 was generally satisfactory according to the Frigate Acquisition Project, Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee headed by Rear Admiral Alberto B. Carlos,” said PN public affairs office chief Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas, in a message late Monday.

Roxas said the sixth sea trials focused on weapons and sensors, vessel performance, and integrated platform management system.

“To be more specific, it demonstrated the warfare and operational capabilities of the frigate,” she added.

Roxas declined to give further details on the matter, adding that the data given above is “only releasable information” for the moment.

She added that the delivery date of the BRP Jose Rizal remains unchanged at “tentatively 3rd week of April 2020”.

The ship’s fifth sea trials, which involved the firing of its Oto Melara Super Rapid 76mm main gun, took place successfully last February 12.

The third and fourth sea trials took place in the third week of January and involved testing the communications and navigational equipment of the BRP Jose Rizal which also went successful.

The ship’s first and second sea trials took place last November and December involved the vessel’s general seaworthiness and propulsion and associated systems, including its radars, respectively.

BRP Jose Rizal has a maximum designed speed of 25 knots and a cruising speed of 15 knots and a range of 4,500 nautical miles.

The sea trials are the last phase of construction prior to the frigate’s delivery to the Philippines.

BRP Jose Rizal was launched at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan May 23, 2019.

The contract for the BRP Jose Rizal and its sister ship, the BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), is placed at PHP16 billion with another PHP2 billion for weapon systems and munitions.

These ships are capable of conducting anti-air warfare (AAW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and electronic warfare (EW) operations. (PNA)