MANILA - The Philippines said on Nov 7 its coast guard will acquire 40 fast patrol craft from France, with plans to deploy some of them in disputed areas of the South China Sea.

The deal is the “largest so far single purchase” in Manila’s ongoing effort to modernise its coast guard, with deliveries set to start in four years, Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan told a news conference.

He declined to provide specifications for the vessels, which Manila said will cost 25.8 billion pesos (S$584 million), to be funded by development aid from the French government.

He said some of the vessels will be deployed in the South China Sea, where Filipino maritime forces have figured in violent confrontations in 2024 with China’s coast guard– part of a festering territorial dispute over waters and land features.

China claims most of the sea including waters close to the shores of the Philippines and several other neighbours, ignoring an international tribunal ruling that its claims are without legal basis.

“It is a game changer for us,” Commandant Adm Gavan said, describing the vessels as “fast enough to reach the edges of our exclusive economic zone” for law enforcement and other missions.

“This will form part of the force mix that we need to address the threats in the area,” he added.

Under the deal, 20 of the 40 vessels will be built in the Philippines through a technology transfer that Commandant Adm Gavan said will provide a boost to Manila’s shipbuilding industry.

“The new (fast patrol craft) will help deter smuggling and illegal activities while ensuring the enforcement of maritime sovereignty in critical marine areas,” Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a statement.

The Philippine coast guard currently has a small fleet of modern vessels, including two 97m patrol ships and ten 44m patrol ships, all built by Japan.

The Japanese government is financing the construction of five additional 97m patrol vessels worth 64.4 million yen that will be delivered in 2027.

AFP has contracted the French embassy in Manila for details of the deal and the vessels. The mission did not immediately respond. AFP