New warship to boost arsenal

MANILA: The Philippines took possession of the first of two new corvette-class warships with "advanced weapon and radar systems" yesterday as it faces growing pressure from Beijing in the disputed South China Sea.

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The arrival of the 2,200-tonne BRP Miguel Malvar is part of a two-ship deal with South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries in 2021.

Its sister ship, the BRP Diego Silang, was formally launched in Ulsan, South Korea, last month and has to begin the journey to the Philippines.

Corvettes are small, fast warships mainly used to protect other vessels from attack.

"The arrival of the ship marked 'a critical step towards developing a self-reliant and credible defence posture'," the Philippine defence department said in a statement.