Manila: The Philippine Navy (PN) on Wednesday announced that one of the country's most modern warships, the guided-missile frigate BRP Miguel Malvar, demonstrated its excellence in gunnery by winning third place in the Rim of the Pacific's (RIMPAC) Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) Rodeo multinational live-fire event.
According to Philippines News Agency, Navy spokesperson Capt. Marissa Martinez emphasized the achievement by stating, "(The) PN earned an impressive third-place in the highly competitive NSFS multinational live-fire event, highlighting the professionalism and competency of its personnel." During the event, BRP Miguel Malvar fired its Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid multi-feeding main gun against a virtual, two-dimensional land target more than 3.5 miles away at the Hawaiian waters last July 14.
Earlier reports mentioned that 14 other allied naval ships participated in the contest. The top three performers were recognized as the ships with the smallest average distance from the target using five salvos. While no specific details were provided on who topped the contest, reports from foreign media indicated that it was the South Korean Navy's ROKS Daejeon.
This marks the second time the PN has secured third place in the RIMPAC gunnery contest, following the BRP Antonio Luna's achievement in 2022. "The participation of BRP Miguel Malvar, together with the amphibious company of the Philippine Marine Corps underscored the Navy's growing capability, expanded operational reach, proficiency in conducting complex multinational maritime operations alongside allied and partner navies," Martinez stated.
The participation of the PN in the biennial drills, held from June 24 to July 31 this year, began in 2018 with the deployment of the offshore patrol vessel BRP Bonifacio and landing dock BRP Davao del Sur. RIMPAC, hosted by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, stands as the world's largest international maritime exercise, engaging 30 nations, 30 ships, and five submarines.
Beyond the operational achievements, the PN spokesperson highlighted that the Navy's involvement further reinforced its relationships with allied and partner navies through sustained collaboration and combined training. "Through its successful participation in RIMPAC 2026, the PN reaffirmed its commitment to developing a modern, multi-domain, and self-reliant naval force while strengthening its role as a reliable regional partner, contributing to peace, stability, and the rules-based order in the region," Martinez added.
