Gregorio del Pilar-class frigate

Class overview
Name: Gregorio del Pilar class Frigate
Builders: Avondale Shipyards, USA
Operators:  Philippine Navy
In service: 2011 to present
Active: 3
General characteristics
Class and type: Gregorio del Pilar class
Type: Frigate
Displacement: 3,250 tons
Length: 378 ft (115 m)
Beam: 43 ft (13 m)
Draft: 8.75 ft (2.67 m)
Propulsion:
Speed: 29 knots (54 km/h)
Range: 14,000 nautical miles (25,900 km)
Endurance: 45 Days
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 2 × RHIB
Complement: 80
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Kelvin Hughes MantaDigital 25KW X-band magnetron navigational radar
  • Kelvin Hughes MantaDigital 200KW SharpEye S-band solid state navigation/surface search radar
  • Furuno FAR-28X7 series navigation radars
  • Sperry Mk. 92 Mod. 1 Fire Control System[1]
Electronic warfare
& decoys:		 2 × Mk.36 Super Rapid Blooming Offboard Countermeasures (SRBOC) Chaff and Decoy Launching System[2]
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1 × AgustaWestland AW109 Power naval helicopter[6]
Aviation facilities: retractable hangar and flight deck

The Gregorio del Pilar class is a ship class of three frigates currently in service of the Philippine Navy, and are currently the foremost surface combatant of the fleet. These ships were formerly used by the US Coast Guard as Hamilton class high endurance cutters.

History

Early in 2011, the Philippine Navy announced the acquisition of an ex-US Coast Guard Hamilton-class high-endurance cutter under the "Ocean-going Escort Vessel" project through the US Excess Defense Article programme.[7][8] The ship acquired was the former USCGC Hamilton (WHEC-715),[9] renamed BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15) which was officially turned over to the Philippine Navy on 13 May 2011 at Alameda Point in California. It was retrofitted and modified in the US, replacing systems removed by the USCG. The ship's arrival ceremonies were on 23 August 2011 in Manila,[10] and it was commissioned on 14 December 2011.[11]

A second Hamilton-class cutter, the USCGC Dallas (WHEC-716), was turned over to the Philippine Navy on 22 May 2012[12] with ceremonies held at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Pier Papa in North Charleston, South Carolina.[13] The ship was named BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16) in Philippine Navy service. Like its sister ship, it was retrofitted and modified in the US, replacing systems removed by the USCG.[14] It was expected to arrive in the Philippines by February 2013.[15][16][17] However, further training and unspecified upgrades on the ship pushed the arrival of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz to August 2013.[18] The ship's arrival ceremony was held at Subic Harbor on August 6, 2013, led by President Aquino.[19] It was commissioned on Nov. 22, 2013.[20]

A third Hamilton-class cutter was turned over to the Philippine Navy after US President Barack Obama announced that another high endurance cutter will be transferred to the Philippines during his visit to the BRP Gregorio del Pilar on November 17, 2015.[21] The White House subsequently confirmed that the USCGC Boutwell (WHEC-719) will be the ship that will be transferred to the Philippines.[22]

Design

The ship was designed with a high level of habitability and provides fairly comfortable accommodations, including air conditioning.[23]

Propulsion

The Gregorio del Pilar class are the first Philippine military vessels to employ the now common shipboard application of aircraft gas turbine jet engines with the use of controllable pitch propellers. The class are equipped with two 18,000 horsepower (13,000 kW) Pratt & Whitney[24] gas turbines and can propel the ship at speeds up to 28 knots (52 km/h). The class also has two 3,500 horsepower (2,600 kW) Fairbanks-Morse[24] diesel engines, capable of driving the ship economically at 17 knots (31 km/h) for up to 14,400 nautical miles (26,700 km) without refueling.[24] A retractable/rotatable bow propulsion unit provides manoeuvrability in tight situations.

Armaments

Prior to turn-over to the Philippine Navy, the Hamilton-class cutters were armed with a Mk.75 Oto Melara 76 mm Compact main gun, two Mk.38 M242 Bushmaster 25 mm chain gun at midships, and a Phalanx CIWS system aft.[24] The CIWS and chain guns were removed by the United States Coast Guard prior to turn-over, with the Mk.75 gun remaining.

The Philippine Navy installed a Mk. 38 Mod. 1 25mm chain gun and two Mk. 16 20mm Oerlikon autocannons to the FF-15, and six 50-caliber machine guns on both the FF-15 and FF-16.[4][25][26]

The Philippines ordered two new Mk. 38 Mod. 2 25mm chain guns, and these are expected to be installed to the ships of the class.[27] On Feb. 17, 2014, it was reported that said chain guns were in the Philippines, waiting for the U.S. Coast Guard armament team for installation.[28] As of January 25, 2015, 2 Mk. 38 Mod. 2 25mm guns had been installed on PF-16.[5]

Flight Support

The Gregorio del Pilar class has a flight deck and hangar capable of handling helicopters. A BO-105 light surveillance helicopter was initially assigned to BRP Gregorio del Pilar, and was replaced by the newer AgustaWestland AW109 Power helicopter.[29] The helicopters first made their shipboard deployment on May 21, 2014.

Future Upgrades

It was also reported that the Philippine Navy is planning further upgrades for the entire ship class. The upgrades will feature upgrades for navigation, propulsion, communication, surveillance, and weapons systems.[30]

Ships in Class

Bow number Ship name Launched Commissioned Service Status
FF-15 BRP Gregorio del Pilar 18 December 1965 14 December 2011 Offshore Combat Force Active
FF-16 BRP Ramon Alcaraz 1 October 1966 22 November 2013 Offshore Combat Force Active
FF-17 BRP Andres Bonifacio [31] 17 June 1967 TBD Offshore Combat Force Awaiting arrival

See Also

References

  1. 1 2 Saunders, Stephen: Jane's Fighting Ships 107th Edition 2004-2005. Jane's Information Group Ltd, 2004.
  2. ↑ "Navy flagship sheds US identity; videoke onboard". Inquirer.net. 2011-09-03. Retrieved 2011-09-03.
  3. 1 2 "Navy ship to get new weapons systems". philstar.com. 2012-10-29. Retrieved 2014-06-16.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Saunders, Stephen (2013). IHS Jane's Fighting Ships 2013-2014. IHS. p. 614. ISBN 978 0 7106 3048 3.
  5. 1 2 "Finally, the Philippine Navy's BRP Ramon Alcaraz got its Mk.38 Mod.2 Guns". 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2015-01-26.
  6. ↑ PNA with Camille Diola (June 25, 2014). "New Navy attack helicopters to join first naval maneuvers". Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Philippine Navy eyeing purchase from US". Inquirer.net. 2011-01-24. Retrieved 2011-01-24.
  8. ↑ "PHL Navy to acquire largest ship in inventory". GMANews.tv. 2011-01-23. Retrieved 2011-01-24.
  9. ↑ "Philippines builds anti-China muscle". Asia Times Online. 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  10. ↑ "US Government to turnover USGC Hamilton to Philippine Navy". Naval Public Affairs Office, Philippine Navy. 2011-05-12. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  11. ↑ "Noy inaugurates 2 newly commissioned ships". Philstar.com. 2011-12-15. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  12. ↑ "AFP chief to receive 2nd US patrol ship". ABS-CBN News. 2012-05-19. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
  13. ↑ "Decommissioned Coast Guard Cutter Dallas being transfered [sic] to Philippine navy". The Digitel Charleston. 2012-05-18. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
  14. ↑ "Philippines to get 2nd US coast guard ship". Xinhua-ANI c/o Yahoo! News. 2012-05-21. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
  15. ↑ "Gazmin assures Navy of brand-new gear, assets showcased on Navy Day". InterAksyon.com. 2012-05-22. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
  16. ↑ "DND puts on hold plan to get third warship from US". Philstar.com. 2012-11-01. Retrieved 2012-11-01.
  17. ↑ "Philippines' Second Warship to Arrive in June". April 30, 2013.
  18. ↑ Romero, Alexis (2013-03-04). "Arrival of new Phl warship delayed". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 2013-05-25.
  19. ↑ "PHL attempts to 'modernize' Navy with 46-year-old warship BRP Ramon Alcaraz | News | GMA News Online". gmanetwork.com. Retrieved 2014-07-25.
  20. ↑ "Maiden voyage of PH's most capable warship". 2013-11-22. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  21. ↑ http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-in-philippines-for-apec-summit/3061271.html
  22. ↑ http://m.inquirer.net/globalnation/131551
  23. ↑ "History of USCGC Hamilton (WHEC-715)". USCGC Hamilton (WHEC-715) official web site. United States Coast Guard. 2008-06-20. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
  24. 1 2 3 4 "WHEC 378' Hamilton class". GlobalSecurity.org. 2005-04-27. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
  25. ↑ Re: Retitled: BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15) - ex USCGC Hamilton (WHEC-715)
  26. ↑ http://kalasagnglahi.angelfire.com/content06.html
  27. ↑ "No. 721-12 Contracts". U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs). Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  28. ↑ "BRP Ramon Alcaraz fitted with 'Bushmaster' auto cannons soon". PTV News. 2014-02-17. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
  29. ↑ Alexis Romero (December 19, 2013). "AFP commissions 3 brand-new naval choppers". Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  30. ↑ Grevatt, Jon (2013-12-16). "Philippines plans further upgrades to ex-US Coast Guard cutters". IHS Jane's 360. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  31. ↑ http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2866262/
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