BRP Miguel Malvar passes first Pacific voyage test
The Philippine Navy successfully tested the mettle of its latest guided-missile frigate, BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-6), as it sailed to the middle of the Pacific Ocean and joined allies in the Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac) Exercise 2026 near Hawaii.
The Malvar joined Singapore’s RSS Steadfast (RSS 70) and Korea’s ROKS Cheon Ja Bong (LST-687) in a leapfrog maneuver where the three navies alternated roles as maneuvering ship and guide of the formation while maintaining a safe distance of about 50 yards.
It was the first time the Malvar, delivered from Ulsan, South Korea, in April last year undertook such a long-range deployment. By comparison, the ship’s delivery voyage from Ulsan to Subic Bay was far shorter than its latest mission.
Extended deployment
The Navy said in a statement that the voyage “highlighted the Navy’s increasing capacity for extended-range deployments and participation in multinational maritime activities while demonstrating the capability and readiness of its modern naval assets.”
The Navy said in a statement on Friday that the voyage was also the first time the vessel and its 120-man crew traversed the International Date Line, a milestone traditionally marked by “Rites for the Domain of the Golden Dragon.”
The activity tested ship handling precision, communication procedures and seamanship skills, the Navy added.
The Malvar traveled the distance, under Naval Task Group 84, for the biennial Rim of the Pacific Exercise, the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise hosted by the US Indo-Pacific Command since 1971.
The Philippines only observed Rimpac 2024 as “observers” without participating vessels and last sent the frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FFG15) in 2022. In 2020, the Navy sent the frigate BRP Jose Rizal (FFG-14).
This year’s Rimpac Exercise will run from June 24 to July 31 in and around Hawaii, bringing together 31 navies for large-scale drills aimed at strengthening interoperability and multinational maritime readiness, according to the US Pacific Fleet.
The Navy said the exercise was part of preparations for the Rimpac 2026 and aimed at strengthening interoperability with partner navies.
It added: “The Philippine Navy continues to strengthen partnerships with like-minded nations and enhance its capabilities to safeguard the country’s maritime interests.”
