Acero-class patrol gunboat

Last updated
BRP Nestor Acero 1.jpg
BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901), an Acero-class patrol gunboat.
Class overview
Builders Israel Shipyards Ltd., Haifa, Israel
OperatorsFlag of the Philippine Navy.svg  Philippine Navy
Built2021 - 2023
In commission2022 - 2024
Planned9
Building1
Completed8
Active6
General characteristics
TypePatrol Gunboat
Displacement95 tons full load [1]
Length32.65 m (107.1 ft) [2]
Beam6.2 m (20 ft) max [2]
Draft1.25 m (4.1 ft) [1]
Propulsion
  • 2 × MTU 16V 4000 M70 Diesel Engines
  • 2 x MJP-J650 waterjets
Speedgreater than 40 knots (74 km/h) maximum
Range1,000 nmi (1,900 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement12 [2]
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Furuno Navnet 3D X-band navigation/surface search radar [2]
  • Rafael Toplite electro-optical tracking system (EOTS) [3]
Armament
  • 1 x Rafael Typhoon MLS-NLOS missile launcher for 8 x Spike-NLOS surface-to-surface missiles (4 ships only)
  • 1 × Mk.44 Bushmaster II autocannon mounted on Rafael Typhoon Mk 30-C remote-controlled weapon station
  • 2 × M2HB Browning 12.7 mm/50-cal. heavy machine guns mounted on Rafael Mini Typhoon remote-controlled weapon stations
  • 2 × M60 7.62 mm/30-cal. GP machine guns

The Acero class is a class of patrol gunboats based on the Shaldag V that are in service with the Philippine Navy.

Contents

History

In 2019, the Philippine Navy raised a requirement to procure a new class of Fast Attack Interdiction Craft (FAIC) that would be missile-capable and are based on Israel's Shaldag V patrol boat design, to replace the Tomas Batilo-class fast attack crafts that have been retired in service. [4] [5]

Israel Shipyards Ltd. had offered the Shaldag V design to the Philippine Navy as early as 2016. [6] Funding to pursue the proposal was not available until a few years afterwards. [4]

The Israeli design was proven to be more capable as an interdiction craft than the smaller Multi-Purpose Attack Craft that were originally designed by a Taiwanese shipbuilder as a troop insertion assault boat, and modified in Philippine Navy service to be used as a small missile boat. Thus, when the Philippine Navy raised the requirement for a fast attack interdiction craft, the Philippines' Department of National Defense (DND) made a decision to procure them based on the Israeli proposal, and would be acquired under a Government-to-Government (G2G) deal with Israel. [4] [7]

A contract was signed between the (DND), Israel Shipyards Ltd. and Israeli Ministry of Defense in February 2021, with the Notice to Proceed to start the effectivity of the contract released in April 2021. [4] [8]

The first boat of the class, the BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901), was launched in June 2022, and became the basis for the class' name. [9] The hull number's use of "PG" indicates that the boats are classified as Patrol Gunboats based on Philippine Navy's 2016 naming classification standards.

In November 2022, Rear Admiral Toribio Acaci indicated that the service plans to acquire a total of 15 more Acero-class / Shaldag Mk. V patrol gunboats in the near future. [4] [10] [11]

Two more Acero-class gunboats were delivered on 11 April 2023, [3] christened on 8 May 2023. [12] [13] and commissioned on 26 May 2023. [14]

The Philippine Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command announced the revival of their naval shipbuilding capability with the reopening of the Naval Shipbuilding Center, previously called the Cavite Naval Yard, which was refurbished and retooled as part Israel Shipyard's contract to supply fast attack interdiction crafts to the Philippine Navy.

The new facility will take over production of the remaining units of Acero-class FAICs (Shaldag Mk. V) that were ordered by the DND under the FAIC-M Acquisition Project, and will likely do so for any future orders. [15]

On 12 April 2024, a field test was conducted where a Spike missile was fired in the waters of Mariveles, Bataan. [16]

On 8 May 2024, BRP Lawrence Narag (PG-907) participated in the maritime strike exercise of Balikatan 2024, which consisted of a sinking exercises (SINKEX) using the decommissioned BRP Lake Caliraya (AF-81) as a target ship. The BRP Lawrence Narag fired a Spike-NLOS missile and successfully hit the target during the exercise. [17]

On 18 June 2024 BRP Lawrence Narag was assigned to Naval Forces Western Mindanao and deployed to Zamboanga City. [18]

Technical Details

The BRP Herminigildo Yurong testing the Spike NLOS system. PG-906 Spike NLOS.jpg
The BRP Herminigildo Yurong testing the Spike NLOS system.

The ship class is designed to carry one bow-mounted Mk.44 Bushmaster II autocannon mounted on Rafael Typhoon Mk 30-C remote-controlled weapon station, and two M2HB Browning 12.7 mm/50-cal. heavy machine guns mounted on Rafael Mini Typhoon remote-controlled weapon stations.

At least four of the ships will be installed with a Rafael Typhoon MLS-NLOS missile launcher for Spike-NLOS surface-to-surface missiles. All other boats are fitted for, but not with the system, and can be installed separately at any time.

A 5.2-meter rigid inflatable boat (RHIB) is stowed in the aft for those without the missile system, and is deployed using a 1,000-kilogram crane. [1]

Ships in Class

Bow numberShip nameLaunchedDeliveredCommissionedServiceStatusNotes
PG-901 BRP Nestor Acero 26 June 20226 September 202228 November 2022 [19] Littoral Combat Force, Philippine FleetActive
PG-902 BRP Lolinato To-Ong 26 June 20226 September 202228 November 2022 [19] Littoral Combat Force, Philippine FleetActive
PG-903 BRP Gener Tinangag 11 April 2023 [20] 26 May 2023 [14] Littoral Combat Force, Philippine FleetActive
PG-905 BRP Domingo Deluana 11 April 2023 [20] 26 May 2023 [14] Littoral Combat Force, Philippine FleetActive
PG-906BRP Herminigildo Yurong [21] 18 November 2023 [22] 21 May 2024 [23] Littoral Combat Force, Philippine FleetActiveArmed with Spike-NLOS
PG-907BRP Laurence Narag [21] 18 November 2023 [22] 21 May 2024 [23] Littoral Combat Force, Philippine FleetActiveArmed with Spike-NLOS
PG-90817 September 2024 [24] DeliveredArmed with Spike-NLOS
PG-90917 September 2024 [24] DeliveredArmed with Spike-NLOS
PG-910Under construction

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BRP <i>Nestor Acero</i> (PG-901)

BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901) is lead ship of the Acero-class patrol gunboat of the Philippine Navy. She was commissioned with the Philippine Navy on 28 November 2022 and is currently in active service with the Littoral Combat Force, Philippine Fleet.

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References

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