Acquiring a capable naval warship today like a guided missile destroyer will cost you a lot of money, around $1.3 billion dollars per unit. Would you believe that the Republic of the Philippines is getting a genuine deal for a ship that cost $100 dollars only?
Yes, it’s unbelievable, but it’s true, the Philippines is getting a real bargain for a used warship from South Korea for the clearance room cost of just $100 dollars.
According to the Department of National Defense, the Philippines is going to purchase a Pohang-class corvette from South Korea for the fabulous whole amount of $100.
The ship, ROK Chungju, was decommissioned from the Republic of Korea Navy in December 2016. The “purchase” is actually a transfer, and the $100 is largely symbolic.
During the mid-1980ss and early 1990s between 1984 and 1993, a group of the first large warships was built by the South Korean shipyards wherein twenty-four is a Pohang-class corvette.
Primarily the Pohang-class boats were constructed predominantly to patrol South Korean coastal waters and square off against North Korea’s fleet of small gunboats and coastal submarines. Each weighed 1,200 tons fully loaded and had a maximum speed of 32 knots, armed with a pair of Italian-made 76-millimeter deck guns, four Harpoon anti-ship missiles, two 40-millimeter cannons, and anti-submarine torpedoes as well as depth charges.
While the ex-Chungju is basically free, the Philippines has likewise dedicated to paying to bring the ship once again into service. Officials from the defense department said that the ship needs to be repaired, minor refurbishing works, replacement of obsolete systems required for safe use of the ship, crew billeting and training, and other expenses.” That will cost an estimated 200 million Philippine pesos or the equivalent amount of $4 million dollars.
The ship will likewise not transfer with all of its weaponry. The Harpoon missiles are not part of the deal—the missiles are as yet valuable to South Korea and Seoul would need to get consent from the United States to offer them, a procedure that could take years. The ship may likewise lose its American-made Mk. 46 anti-submarine torpedoes.
Regardless of the possibility that the ex-Chungju is stripped of its weapons, South Korea is well positioned to re-equip it for the Philipines at the considerable cost.
The Mk. 46 anti-submarine torpedoes can be replaced with a locally made Korean Blue Shark torpedoes and the Harpoon missiles can be replaced with Korean Haeseong missiles. This is not a fortuitous event, as South Korea is pushing to build up its own weaponry export industry.
Imagine Chungju as a cup of coffee only with sugar, adding some creamer or milk to make it more delicious and that’s going to cost genuine cash. - JCE.
