Philippines adds speedy warship to maritime arsenal

The arrival of the 3,200-ton 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 but has yet 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 toward developing a self-reliant and credible defense posture", the Philippine defence department said in a statement.