The Philippine Navy on Tuesday said a group of naval experts will go to Japan in August to conduct a two-week joint visual inspection (JVI) of six Abukuma-class destroyer before their possible transfer to the country.

In an ambush interview during a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday, Philippine Navy Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the naval experts are awaiting travel clearance.

"The teams have been organized by the Philippine Navy... the moment they get their travel authority, travel orders, they will proceed... in August," Trinidad said.

Six Abukuma-class destroyer escorts will be inspected as part of 'exploratory discussions on the possible transfer of these naval assets to the Philippines' following an official invitation from the Japanese Ministry of Defense.

The team will be composed of surface welfare officers, sea systems experts, financial analysts, and logisticians, who will determine the operational viability of the transfer.

"Based on what will be known or what will be inspected or the results of the JVI, we will be forwarding appropriate recommendations to General Headquarters and the DND," Philippine Navy Spokesperson Captain John Percie A. Alcos said in an interview on Tuesday.

The six Abakuma-Class destroyer escorts are designed for anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, previously commissioned by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) from 1989 to 1993, said Trinidad.

Once acquired, the destroyer escorts would 'greatly enhance the Philippine Navy's capability to further support the comprehensive archipelago defense concept', according to Alcos.

"If we receive these particular destroyer escorts, characteristics-wise, this is very similar in terms of gross tonnage, speed, length to the Jose Rizal-class frigates. These destroyer escorts also have specific capabilities that we require: anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, electronic warfare, anti-air warfare," Alcos said.

Alcos said these are 30-year-old vessels ''that are still operational.'' Replying to questions whether Japan is just retiring these vessels, Alcos said: ''I do not think they would offer these particular assets if these will not greatly enhance our own capabilities.''

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro in a press conference on Tuesday said the six destroyer escorts would depend on their interoperability with the current Philippine Navy fleet.

"The decision process will have to depend on the fit that it will have with our present fleet and how we can integrate them, if ever, so I'll wait for the report," Teodoro said.

"The finer details of what was discussed between the DND and the Ministry of Defense on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue are still unknown to us," Alcos said. Velle White/DMS