DAVAO CITY (August 11) — Russia is more than willing to provide soft loan for the Philippines to have its first-ever submarine, through “soft loans’ .
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Russia is offering to sell to the Philippines its Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines, which has surface displacement of 2,350 tons, a length of 73.8 meters and capable of speeds up 17 to 20 knots.
The Kilo class’
The Kilo class Submarine is designed and built by the Russian companies “Rubin” and “Admiralty Shipyard’, respectively, and first entered service with the Soviet Union in 1980.
Since then it and its variants has been one of the most commercially successful contemporary DE Submarine designs with over 60 built and entered service with at least eight navies around the world.
It can be armed with a variety of torpedoes, missiles and naval mines and has a cruising range of around 6,000 to 7,500 nautical miles.
SOFT LOAN
Lorenzana said “Kung wala tayong pera pahihiramin tayo ng Russia, soft loans “Lorenzana said .
He added that the Philippines is still looking at other possible submarines suppliers in Europe, including France, noting that the country’s submarine acquisition program, including possible suppliers, will be most likely finalized in the next 12 months.
“Maybe within the year, maybe within the next 12 months. Maybe we could finalize this. If this is approved, it will take them four years to make it, so it could be delivered when the term of President (Rodrigo Duterte) already ended,” Lorenzana said.
Lorenzana added “For a nation with maritime territory especially island nation, its national defense is incomplete without (a) submarine,” he added.
