The Philippines has confirmed an agreement with Japan to acquire five Abukuma-class destroyer escorts, vessels that will be retired from service by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force over the coming years.
According to Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., the agreement between the two governments has already been finalized, with only administrative procedures remaining. The ships are expected to be delivered within two to three years, representing one of the largest transfers of decommissioned military vessels ever carried out by Tokyo to another country.
Built between 1989 and 1993, the Abukuma-class vessels were developed for coastal defense and anti-submarine warfare missions. Equipped with a 76 mm gun, a Phalanx CIWS, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, ASROC launchers and lightweight torpedoes, they will expand the Philippine Navy’s operational capabilities and serve alongside the modern José Rizal- and Miguel Malvar-class frigates acquired from South Korea.
The agreement is the result of months of negotiations between Manila and Tokyo and is part of the expansion of bilateral defense cooperation. In addition to the potential transfer of the vessels, the two countries are also discussing the supply of TC-90 training aircraft and have been expanding joint projects through Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) program, which includes coastal surveillance radars, support vessels and investments in military infrastructure.
The initiative comes amid closer strategic ties between Japan and the Philippines in response to China’s increased maritime activities in the Indo-Pacific. For Manila, the ships represent a faster and lower-cost solution to strengthen its fleet while new naval assets are being built. For Japan, the transfer symbolizes another step forward in its defense equipment export policy and reinforces its strategy of strengthening the military capabilities of partners considered strategic in the region.
According to Sec. Teodoro’s statement, five out of six Abukuma-class destroyer escorts will be delivered within two to three years under the official security assistance (OSA). https://t.co/uACQWFMVX8 pic.twitter.com/PhwuF0hFW5
— Philippine Defense Monitor (PDM) (@PhilippMonitor) July 7, 2026
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Source: Naval News | Photo: X @JMSDF_PAO | This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
