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Philippines to Acquire Five Abukuma-Class Destroyer Escorts From Japan

The Philippines has reached a broad agreement with Japan to acquire five soon-to-be-retired Abukuma-class destroyer escorts from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

At a Glance

The deal was announced on 7 July in Manila by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
Five Abukuma-class destroyer escorts will be transferred from the JMSDF.
Delivery is expected within two to three years.
The Abukuma class comprises six ships commissioned between 1989 and 1993, around 2,000 tonnes standard.
It would be Japan’s first overseas transfer of retired surface combatants.

‘Already a done deal’

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. announced on 7 July in Manila that the two governments had essentially finalized the agreement, with only administrative arrangements remaining. “Administrative details are being finalized, but it’s already a done deal,” Teodoro told reporters. The Philippines will take over five Abukuma-class destroyer escorts that the JMSDF is soon to retire.

The agreement stands out as one of Japan’s largest planned transfers of retired naval combatants to a foreign navy. Teodoro said delivery is expected within two to three years.

About the Abukuma class

The Abukuma class consists of six destroyer escorts commissioned between 1989 and 1993. Designed primarily for coastal defense and anti-submarine warfare, the ships have a standard displacement of around 2,000 tonnes, an overall length of 109 meters and a top speed of about 27 knots.

If completed as planned, the transfer would be Japan’s first overseas transfer of retired JMSDF surface combatants under its increasingly flexible defense equipment transfer framework, reflecting a gradual opening in Tokyo’s defense-export posture.

Regional and Strategic Significance

The transfer is part of the Philippines’ push to rapidly strengthen its surface fleet amid rising tensions in the South China Sea. Taking on second-hand but still-serviceable escorts delivers capability faster than new construction.

For Japan, the deal is a concrete step away from the restrictive export posture shaped in the postwar period, toward supplying platforms directly to regional partners. The trend points to diversifying defense-industrial cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.