Japan's plan to export six second-hand warships and help the Philippines counter China has encountered new complications.

According to a report by the Philippine "Daily Inquirer", on the 8th, Philippine Navy Commander Espelleta stated at a hearing that the Philippines had reviewed Japan's proposal for the sale of second-hand warships, but the Philippine Navy was unable to purchase all six warships, and could only consider purchasing three of them.

Additionally, Japan also showed hesitation in the warship export. Espelleta revealed that due to the restrictions of the peace constitution, Tokyo could not guarantee that the arms deal would definitely be completed, and if the warships were transferred to the Philippines, Japan would remove the weapon systems on board.

Only three warships can be bought, the Philippine Navy really doesn't have money

It is worth mentioning that when Espelleta said this, he also joked: "The beggar has no right to pick and choose": those are six warships, the Philippines really can't afford them, and if there is an opportunity, they can only consider buying three.

The Japanese-Filipino warship transaction was first exposed this July. At that time, the Japanese media "Yomiuri Shimbun" reported that Japanese Defense Minister Nakagawa and Philippine Defense Minister Teodoro had reached an agreement on the warship export in June. Japan planned to export six second-hand Awashimo-class escort destroyers to the Philippines, and the Philippine military began inspecting the Japanese ships this summer.

This time, the six Awashimo-class destroyers exported by Japan to the Philippines were built in the 1980s to 1990s, and even the youngest one has been in service for more than 30 years.

These Awashimo-class may be worse than the frigates sold by South Korea to the Philippines

The standard displacement of the Awashimo-class destroyer is 2000 tons, and the weapons system includes a 76mm naval gun, two four-cell anti-ship missile launchers, one 74-type eight-cell box-type ASROC anti-submarine missile launcher, one Phalanx close-in defense system, as well as two triple torpedo launchers. It does not have a vertical launch system.

The Awashimo-class destroyers in the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force are called "escort destroyers", but in fact, they should be called "frigates". Their main duties are anti-submarine warfare and convoy protection in coastal areas.

The reason for the retirement of the Awashimo-class in the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force is not complicated: these escort destroyers built in the 1980s and 1990s have failed to keep up with the operational needs of the Maritime Self-Defense Force. The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force's 5000-ton new frigate "Mogami-class" has already been commissioned for eight ships, and the next generation of 6000-ton multi-purpose frigate construction plan has also been put on the agenda.

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force's new frigate "Mogami-class"

Therefore, instead of dismantling the Awashimo-class and recycling them, it would be better to utilize the waste by selling the warships to the Philippines - in this way, Japan can make a profit again, and also give China a headache, which is a win-win situation.

But as Philippine Navy Commander Espelleta said, Japan and the Philippines did want to facilitate this transaction, but both sides had their own problems: Japan ultimately didn't dare to export a complete set of second-hand warships to the Philippines, which is adjacent to the South China Sea, and the Philippines could not afford all six warships.

Therefore, even if Japan can deliver the warships to the Philippines, the financially constrained Philippine Navy can only get three "blank" warships, whose value and deterrent power may even be less than the three 3000-ton Rizal-class and Marawar-class frigates purchased by the Philippines from South Korea.

Korean-built Marawar-class frigate for the Philippines

Additionally, the power system of the Awashimo-class uses gas turbines and diesel engines, which is a "new power" for the Philippine Navy, which is only familiar with diesel engines. This is considered a "high-end product" that is extremely difficult to maintain and expensive.

Therefore, there are now reports that the Philippines and Japan are arguing over the procurement of spare parts for the Awashimo-class gas turbines, fuel consumption, and regular overhauls. Otherwise, once the Philippine Navy takes over, if it cannot achieve daily maintenance and repair of the Awashimo-class, the Philippine Navy will only get three warships that cannot go to sea.

In short, the Philippines and Japan have common words on the issue of countering China, but once this topic is removed, each side's own calculations are far from few.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7558771484315927055/

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