BRP Rajah Lakandula (PS-21)

The BRP Rajah Lakandula (PS-21) during her commissioning ceremony on 12 June 2026.
Philippines
NameBRP Rajah Lakandula
NamesakeRajah Lakandula, the last Paramount Ruler of the Kingdom of Tondo
Ordered27 June 2022[1]
BuilderHD Hyundai Heavy Industries
CostKRW 770.9 billion (~US$556 million)
Yard numberP173
Launched20 November 2025
Commissioned9 June 2026
IdentificationPS-21
StatusActive
Badge
General characteristics
Class & typeRajah Sulayman-class offshore patrol vessel
Displacement2,400 tonnes[2] / 2,450 tonnes[3]
Length94.5 m (310 ft 0 in)
Beam14.3 m (46 ft 11 in)
Draft3.6 m (11 ft 10 in)
Propulsion
Speed22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) @ 85% MCR
Range3,500 nmi (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) @ 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Endurance20 days[3]
Boats & landing
craft carried
  • 1 × 7.3 m RHIB (starboard boat bay)
  • 1 × 9.5 m RHIB (stern launching and recovery system)
Complement72
Sensors &
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • Radar-Electronic Support Measures (R-ESM)
  • 2 × C-Guard DL-6T 6-tube 130mm IR and RF decoy launchers
Armament
  • 1 × 76 mm Oto Melara Super Rapid main gun
  • 2 × 30 mm SMASH RCWS secondary guns
  • 2 × 12.7 mm heavy machine guns
  • 2 × Sitep Italia MASS SX-424(V)122 Multirole Acoustic Stabilized System and Laser Dazzler
Aircraft carried1 × 10-tonne class naval helicopter
Aviation facilitiesFlight deck optimized for a 10-tonne helicopter and two unmanned aerial vehicles
NotesStern mission bay for multi-mission module containers and towed array sonar

BRP Rajah Lakandula (PS-21) is the second ship of the Rajah Sulayman-class offshore patrol vessels operated by the Philippine Navy.[8] She is the second naval vessel named in honor of Rajah Lakandula, the historic ruler of the Kingdom of Tondo.

Design

The vessel was designed and constructed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) in Ulsan, South Korea. Its design is based on the builder's HDP-2200+ patrol vessel platform, which is an optimized development of the earlier HDP-2200 design. The design layout shares structural commonalities with other HD HHI surface assets built for the Philippine Navy, specifically the Jose Rizal-class frigates. Structural considerations were integrated to lower the ship's radar cross-section, featuring clean lines, flattened exterior surface geometry, and minimized structural overhangs.

Construction and career

The ship was launched at the HD HHI shipyard on 20 November 2025.[1] Following the completion of manufacturer sea trials, the vessel was delivered to the Philippine Navy and arrived at the Subic Bay naval facility on 8 May 2026.[9]

On 9 June 2026, President Bongbong Marcos presided over the formal commissioning ceremony of BRP Rajah Lakandula into active fleet service. The event was held in conjunction with the 128th founding anniversary of the Philippine Navy.[10] The offshore patrol vessel is slated for frontline maritime security deployments, with an operational focus on reinforcing maritime domain awareness within the West Philippine Sea.[11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Offshore Patrol Vessel Acquisition Project of the Philippine Navy". Philippine Defense Resource. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  2. ↑ "Patrol Vessel". Hyundai Heavy Industries. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  3. 1 2 "HDP-2200/HDP-2200+ brochure" (PDF). Hyundai Heavy Industries. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  4. ↑ Montero, Max (2025-08-28). "Air/Surface Search Radar of Rajah Sulayman-class". MaxDefense Philippines. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "HENSOLDT UK awarded contracts for the Philippine Navy". Hensoldt. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ↑ "Kongsberg Maritime to supply propulsion systems for the Philippine Navy's new offshore patrol vessels". Kongsberg. 6 March 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  7. ↑ "Anschuetz Singapore delivers integrated bridge systems for new OPVs". Naval News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ↑ "Introduction of the New Rajah Sulayman-class OPV of the Philippine Navy". Pitz Defense Analysis. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
  9. ↑ Aglibot, Joanna Rose (2026-05-09). "PH Navy marks arrival of future BRP Rajah Lakandula in Subic". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
  10. ↑ Caratiquet, Dean Aubrey (June 9, 2026). "PBBM leads commissioning of BRP Rajah Lakandula, celebrates 128th founding anniversary of PH Navy". PTV News. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  11. ↑ Manahan, Jervis (June 9, 2026). "Marcos leads commissioning of offshore patrol vessel BRP Rajah Lakandula". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
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