Navy: Nowhere to put new assets

While the Philippine Navy is in an acquisition spree of modern sea assets, it has admittedly overlooked the basic requirement of where to put them.

In an interview aired on Monday over radio station dwDD, Navy flag officer in command Vice Adm. Robert Empedrad said the Navy expected the delivery of two missile-armed frigates in 2020 and 2021, and the arrival within the year of two antisubmarine AgustaWestland “Wildcat” AW-159 helicopters equipped with torpedoes and missiles, and a corvette from South Korea.

Empedrad admitted that the Philippine Navy was currently faced with the challenge of the absence of facilities to house newly acquired sea assets and materiel, particularly missiles.

“When we acquired these capabilities, we failed to address, to look into the attendant requirements,” he said, adding that it was a lesson for the Navy.

The Navy has no docking facility for its bigger vessels as well as hangars for its helicopters.