The Philippines will receive five retired Abukuma-class destroyer escorts from Japan within two to three years, the Southeast Asian nation¡¯s defense chief has said ¡ª the clearest remarks yet on the number of warships and their delivery timeline.
¡°Administrative details are being finalized, but it¡¯s already a done deal,¡± Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Tuesday, according to the country¡¯s official Philippine News Agency. Deliveries are expected to be completed within ¡°two to three years¡± following the discussions that began last year.
Teodoro also revealed that the five Abukuma-class ships, the first of which is due to be retired from Maritime Self-Defense Force service in 2027, will be transferred under Â鶹´«Ã½ official security assistance (OSA) program.
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