BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PS-15) | |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | USCGC Hamilton |
Builder | Avondale Shipyards |
Launched | December 18, 1965 |
Commissioned | March 18, 1967 |
Decommissioned | March 28, 2011 |
Identification | WHEC-715 |
Fate | Transferred to Philippine Navy |
Badge | |
Philippines | |
Name | BRP Gregorio del Pilar |
Namesake | Gregorio Hilario del Pilar y Sempio |
Acquired | May 13, 2011 |
Commissioned | December 14, 2011 |
Maiden voyage | July 18, 2011 |
Homeport | Subic Bay Freeport Zone |
Identification |
|
Nickname(s) | BRP Goyo |
Status | In active service |
Badge | |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Gregorio del Pilar-class offshore patrol vessel |
Displacement | 3,250 tons |
Length | 378 ft (115.2 m) |
Beam | 43 ft (13.1 m) |
Draft | 15 ft (4.6 m) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph) [2] via twin gas-turbines |
Range | 12,500 nmi (23,200 km; 14,400 mi) @ 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) [2] via diesel |
Endurance | 45 days |
Boats & landing craft carried | 2 × RHIB |
Complement | 85 |
Sensors and processing systems |
|
Electronic warfare & decoys |
|
Armament |
|
Armor | CBRNE defense system [7] |
Aircraft carried | 1 × AW109E Power naval helicopter [8] |
Aviation facilities |
|
Notes | steel hull, aluminium superstructure |
BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PS-15) is the lead ship of her class of offshore patrol vessel of the Philippine Navy. She is the second ship to be named after Gregorio del Pilar, a Filipino revolutionary general known for his role at the Battle of Tirad Pass. She was originally designated as "PF-15" from 2012 to mid-2016. Then the Navy adopted a new code designation system and she was redesignated as "FF-15". In February 2019, the Navy downgraded the status of the entire class from frigate to patrol ship and redesignated her as "PS-15". [9]
From 1967 to 2011, the ship was a Hamilton-class high endurance cutter of the United States Coast Guard, known as USCGC Hamilton. The United States decommissioned the cutter on 28 March 2011, and she was acquired by the Philippines under the Excess Defense Articles and the Foreign Assistance Act. [10] It is one of three ex-US Coast Guard Hamilton-class cutters that serve in the Philippine Navy.
The ship now known as BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PS-15) was launched on December 18, 1965, at Avondale Shipyards near New Orleans, Louisiana, as USCGC Hamilton (WHEC-715) and was named for Alexander Hamilton the first United States Secretary of the Treasury and founder of the United States Revenue Cutter Service. Hamilton was commissioned March 18, 1967.
The ship is designed with a high level of habitability and provides fairly comfortable accommodations, including air conditioning. [11] Gregorio del Pilar is the first Philippine military vessel to employ the now common shipboard application of aircraft gas turbine jet engines with the use of controllable pitch propellers and is equipped with two 18,000 horsepower (13,000 kW) Pratt & Whitney [2] gas turbines that can propel the ship at speeds up to 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph). Gregorio del Pilar also has two 3,500 horsepower (2,600 kW) Fairbanks-Morse [2] diesel engines, capable of driving the ship economically at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) for up to 12,500 nmi (23,200 km; 14,400 mi) without refuelling. [2] A retractable/rotatable bow propulsion unit provides manoeuvrability in tight situations.
The ship was 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. [12] The CIWS and chain guns were removed by the US Coast Guard prior to its turn-over to the Philippine Navy. Only the Mk.75 gun remains.
Plans to install additional weapons were made, which includes one Mk. 38 Mod 1 25 mm chain gun aft, two Mk.16 20 mm autocannons midships, and six 12.7 mm machine guns. [4] These were installed during its scheduled dock works before the commissioning ceremonies. [5] Photos during the commissioning ceremonies confirmed the presence of such weapons. [13]
The Philippines reportedly ordered at least four new Mk.38 Mod 3 25mm naval guns, and are expected to be installed on all Gregorio del Pilar class ships. [14] [15] [16]
It was also reported that the Philippine Navy will be getting sophisticated radar system capable of detecting and tracking surface threats, a Harpoon anti-ship missile system, and torpedo decoy systems. This would be purchased from the United States possibly under a government-to-government deal. [17]
The ship has a flight deck and hangar capable of handling helicopters.
A BO-105 light surveillance helicopter was initially assigned to the ship, and was replaced by the AgustaWestland AW109 Power, which made its first official shipboard deployment on May 21, 2014. [8]
The Philippine Navy plans to modernize the entire ship of the class, with an initial program to upgrade the ship's sensors, and another program to improve its weapon systems.
Several systems were acquired through US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and Foreign Military Financing (FMF), which includes the BAE Systems Mk. 38 Mod. 2 machine gun system, the SAAB AN/SPS-77 Sea Giraffe AMB 3D air/surface search radar, [18] [19] and the FLIR Systems SeaFLIR 230 Electro-Optical/Infra-Red Camera. [20]
Meanwhile, the Philippine Navy will launch a program to acquire, install and integrate several other sensors into the ship, as part of the Horizon 2 phase of the Revised AFP Modernization Program. Among those to be acquired are new Combat Management System (CMS), Hull Mounted Sonar (HMS), and a Radar Electronic Support Measures (R-ESM). [21]
Future upgrades are planned to install defensive and offensive missile systems, as well as torpedo weapon system, [22] although funding is still being secured and might only be included in the next phase of the Navy's modernization program.
In 2020 October 14, Navy chief Giovanni Carlo Bacordo revealed the completion of the 3D modeling program for the entire ship class' cabling systems to be used for their electronic upgrades (CMS + 4 sensors). [23]
In 1988, Hamilton completed a three-year fleet renovation and modernization that provided the ship with modern weapons and electronics systems. All spaces and machinery were also completely overhauled and refurbished. The new technology enables Hamilton to operate seamlessly with the United States Navy. [11]
Hamilton has served a variety of missions with distinction. During a 1969–70 deployment to Vietnam, Hamilton interdicted weapons smugglers and fired more than 4,600 rounds of gunfire in support of U.S. and Vietnamese troops ashore. From 1965–1975, Hamilton served on Atlantic Ocean Stations, collecting valuable oceanographic data and conducting frequent search and rescue missions. Hamilton also directed the interdictions of over 21,000 Haitian migrants throughout the Caribbean during Operation Able Manner. In 1994, Hamilton received the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation for rescuing 135 Haitians from the sea after their sailboat capsized and sank.
In 1996, Hamilton transited the Panama Canal and served as the command and control platform for Operation Frontier Shield, a multi-agency effort to curtail the influx of narcotics into the United States. Hamilton intercepted 14 drug-laden vessels carrying more than 115 tons of contraband worth 200 million dollars.
In 1999, Hamilton seized over 2,700 kilograms (6,000 lb) of cocaine bound for the U.S. in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Hamilton frequently patrolled the Bering Sea off the Alaskan coast at the Maritime Boundary Line (MBL) which separates the Russian and the United States' Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). Hamilton's presence on the MBL deters foreign fishing vessels from fishing in the U.S. EEZ. [11]
In March 2007, Hamilton assisted Sherman in the largest recorded maritime drug bust in history. The two vessels intercepted the Panamanian-flagged fishing vessel Gatun in international waters and were able to recover 20 metric tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $600 million retail. The seizure was the largest drug bust in US history and the largest interdiction at sea. [24]
Proposal to decommission USCGC Hamilton from the US Coast Guard was made for fiscal year 2011 budget, and the Philippines sent a formal letter of interest for its purchase. USCGC Hamilton was decommissioned on March 28, 2011, and transferred to the Philippine Navy as an excess defense article under the Foreign Assistance Act. The Philippines sent a team to conduct a thorough inspection of the ship in November 2010. [25]
The US Coast Guard removed some of the ship's equipment before its transfer to the Philippine Navy and plans to use those equipment as spare parts for the other US Coast Guard ships. Among those that were removed are the AN/SPS-40 air surface search radar, Phalanx CIWS, and two Mk.38 M242 Bushmaster 25 mm chain guns. In return, the US Coast Guard began procuring and installing the safe-to-sail navigation equipment, radar systems and additional electronics that the Philippines requested as part of its transfer support case. [25] The Philippine Navy installed a 25 mm chain gun, two 20 mm guns, and six mounted 50-caliber guns [4] as replacement for the equipment removed.
The ship's transfer cost was pegged at Php450 million, while operation costs for two years was estimated at Php120 million. Funding came from Philippines' Department of Energy, considering that the vessel is projected to be deployed to secure oil platform and exploration activities in the Western and Southern Philippines. [26]
Training for the crew started in January 2011, when the US Coast Guard provided 10 weeks of combined dockside and underway training on USCGC Boutwell for the ship's prospective commanding officer, executive officer and crew. [25]
Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15) was formally transferred to the Philippines on May 13, 2011, at the transfer ceremony on Coast Guard Island. Captain Alberto A. Cruz became its first commanding officer. [25]
Its maiden voyage included a port visit to Hawaii and docking at Alameda, California to finish the remaining work, with around 13 separate contracting actions. Gregorio del Pilar conducted a test at the coast of California to measure the crew's capabilities and the ship's seaworthiness. Gregorio del Pilar made a port visit at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam which was the first time that a Philippine vessel docked at Pearl Harbor. [27] [28] She arrived on the Philippines on August 17, 2011 [29] after port visit in Guam. [30] [31] Gregorio del Pilar arrived in Manila on August 21, 2011. [27] The arrival ceremony was held on August 23, 2011, and minor improvements were done the following days. [32] [33]
BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15) was formally commissioned by the Philippine Navy on December 14, 2011, at Pier 13, Manila South Harbor. [34] President Benigno Aquino III's elder sister, Ballsy Cruz, was the principal sponsor of the ship. [35]
President Aquino hoped that this, his first major military acquisition, would be a symbol of his administration's intention to strengthen and modernize the Philippine Navy and the Armed Forces, and to defend its territory and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea. [33] [36]
BRP Gregorio del Pilar was involved in a standoff in 2012 at the Scarborough Shoal when it tried to apprehend eight Chinese fishing vessels in the island. [37] [38] [39] [40]
BRP Gregorio del Pilar was also one of the naval vessels that the AFP Western Command sent to help in the searching efforts for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. [41]
On November 17, 2015, United States President Barack Obama visited and toured the ship on the sidelines of the APEC Summit to highlight the United States' commitment to assist East Asian countries in maritime security, amidst the territorial disputes in the South China Sea. [42] After touring the ship, he announced that a third Hamilton-class cutter similar to Gregorio del Pilar (USCGC Boutwell (WHEC-719)) and the research vessel RV Melville will be turned over to the Philippine Navy. [43]
Around mid-2016, the Philippine Navy started calling the ship in its new code designation FF-15, together with its sister ship BRP Ramon Alcaraz which was re-designated as FF-16, and the new BRP Andres Bonifacio designated as FF-17. [44]
On August 29, 2018, she ran aground at Half Moon Shoal in the South China Sea off Palawan. [45] She was eventually removed from the shoal on September 3, 2018, and towed to Subic Bay for repairs. [46] [47]
In September 2022, Gregorio Del Pilar completed a four-year repair and overhaul period. [48] It was then announced that the ship will soon deploy to the South China Sea. [49]
On 7 April 2024, Gregorio del Pilar conducted a joint patrol in the South China Sea with BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), BRP Valentin Diaz (PS-177), USS Mobile (LCS-26) of the US Navy, HMAS Warramunga (FFH 152) of the Royal Australian Navy, and JS Akebono of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. This marked the first multinational patrol among the nations. [50]
On July 27, 2011, Gregorio del Pilar arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam for a scheduled port visit. She took on supplies and fuel, and held a reception hosted by the Philippine Consulate in Honolulu and the Philippine Celebrations Coordinating Committee of Hawaii. The crew also visited the USS Arizona Memorial. It also marks the first time a Philippine naval vessel pulled into Pearl Harbor. [27] [28]
BRP Gregorio Del Pilar was assigned to Naval Forces Western to help in a joint multinational disaster relief and response operations dubbed Operation Damayan after the Visayan Islands were struck by Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013.
On 2014, the ship has been deployed in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. [51]
On July 30, 2011, Gregorio del Pilar and USS Reuben James conducted a Passing Exercise (PASSEX) off the coast of Hawaii. [27]
On August 22, 2011, the United States Embassy in Manila posted on their Facebook account photos indicating that BRP Gregorio del Pilar had an in-stride training with USS Fitzgerald on their transit to Guam, which may have started around August 4, 2011. [52]
On August 14–16, 2012, the Naval Forces Northern Luzon (NFNL) conducted a small-scale Naval Exercise code-named SAGEX 02–12 at the waters of South China Sea. BRP Gregorio del Pilar together with BRP Rajah Humabon and BRP Liberato Picar participated under Naval Task Force (NTF) 11. The exercise includes patrol, simulated tracking of targets and interdiction and capped by live firing exercises. [53]
Gregorio del Pilar, together with BRP Rajah Humabon participated in the sea phase exercises with the US Navy during the Balikatan 2013 from April 5 to 17, 2013. [54]
The ship conducted an offshore visit at Lingayen, Pangasinan during the city's "Pistay Dayat 2013" ("Feast of the Sea 2013"), with an open house tour and rescue exhibition exercises performed by the crew. [55]
From June 27 to July 2, 2013, Gregorio del Pilar participated in joint naval maneuvers during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training 2013 Philippines (CARAT 2013 Philippines) with other Philippine and United States naval and coast guard ships. The at-sea phase was conducted on June 27 off the waters midway from Zambales province and Scarborough Shoal. [56]
The ship, together with its sister ship BRP Ramon Alcaraz participated in joint naval maneuvers as part of CARAT 2014 Philippines from June 26 to July 1, 2014. It was scheduled to conduct exercises on gunnery, combined air, surface, anti-submarine operations at sea. [57]
In May 2018, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar participated in the Third Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo 2018 held from May 8 to 9, 2018 in Lombok, Indonesia. [58]
The Philippine Navy (PN) is the naval warfare service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It has an estimated strength of 24,500 active service personnel, including the 10,300-strong Philippine Marine Corps. It operates 90 combat vessels, 16 auxiliary vessels, 25 manned aircraft and 8 unmanned aerial vehicles. Tracing its roots from the Philippine Revolutionary Navy on May 20, 1898, while its modern foundations were created during the creation of the Offshore Patrol on February 9, 1939, the PN is currently responsible for naval warfare operations and maritime patrol missions within the Philippine Waters, as well as ensuring the protection of the Philippine's maritime interests, including the South China Sea and Benham Rise.
USCGC Dallas (WHEC-716) was a United States Coast Guard high endurance cutter commissioned in 1967 at the Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was the sixth ship or boat to bear the name of Alexander J. Dallas, the Secretary of the Treasury under President James Madison (1814–1816). She is one of twelve Hamilton-class cutters built for the Coast Guard.
The USCGC Morgenthau (WHEC-722), was the eighth of twelve 378-foot dual-powered turbine/diesel Hamilton-class high endurance cutters (WHECs) built by Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Coast Guard commissioned the Morgenthau on March 10, 1969. After 48 years of continuous service the U.S. Coast Guard decommissioned the Morgenthau on April 18, 2017, and the ship was sold to Vietnam. On 27 May 2017 the Vietnam Coast Guard commissioned the former cutter as patrol ship CSB 8020.
USCGC Hamilton (WHEC-715) was a United States Coast Guard high endurance cutter and the lead ship of its class. It was based at Boston, Massachusetts from commissioning until 1991, then out of San Pedro, California before it was moved to its last home port in San Diego, California. It was launched on December 18, 1965 at Avondale Shipyards near New Orleans, Louisiana and named for Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, the first United States Secretary of the Treasury and founder of the United States Revenue Cutter Service. It was commissioned on March 18, 1967.
BRP Rajah Humabon (PS-11) was a former destroyer escort of the United States Navy and a former frigate of the Philippine Navy. She was the last World War II-era destroyer escort/frigate active in her fleet, and one of the oldest active warships in the world, until 15 March 2018 when she was formally decommissioned after 75 years. She was one of three ex-USN Cannon-class destroyer escorts that served the Philippine Navy, the others being BRP Datu Sikatuna (PF-5/PS-77) and BRP Datu Kalantiaw (PS-76).
BRP Andrés Bonifacio (PF-7) was a Philippine Navy frigate in commission from 1976 to 1985. She was one of six ex-United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tenders/ex-United States Coast Guard Casco-class high endurance cutters received from the United States after the Vietnam War, two of which were acquired to supply spare parts for the other four. Andrés Bonifacio was considered the lead ship of her class in the Philippine Navy, and she and her three commissioned sister ships were the largest Philippine Navy combat ships of their time.
USS Chincoteague (AVP-24) was a United States Navy seaplane tender in commission from 1943 to 1946 that saw service in the Pacific during World War II. After the war, she was in commission in the United States Coast Guard as the cutter USCGC Chincoteague (WAVP-375), later WHEC-375, from 1949 to 1972. She was transferred to South Vietnam in 1972 and was commissioned into service with the Republic of Vietnam Navy as the frigate RVNS Lý Thường Kiệt (HQ-16), seeing combat in the Battle of the Paracel Islands in 1974. When South Vietnam collapsed at the conclusion of the Vietnam War in 1975, she fled to the Philippines, where she was commissioned into the Philippine Navy, serving as the frigate RPSAndrés Bonifacio (PF-7) from 1976 to 1985.
BRP Diego Silang (PF-9) was an Andrés Bonifacio-class frigate of the Philippine Navy in commission from 1976 to 1990. She and her three sister ships were the largest Philippine Navy ships of their time.
The BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-8) was an Andrés Bonifacio-class frigate of the Philippine Navy in commission from 1977 to 1990. She was one of six ex-United States Navy Barnegat-class seaplane tenders/ex-United States Coast Guard Casco-class high endurance cutters received from the United States after the Vietnam War, two of which were acquired to supply spare parts for the other four. She and her three commissioned sister ships were the largest Philippine Navy combat ships of their time.
USS Castle Rock (AVP-35) was a United States Navy Barnegat-class small seaplane tender in commission from 1944 to 1946 which saw service in the late months of World War II. After the war, she was in commission in the United States Coast Guard as the Coast Guard cutter USCGC Castle Rock (WAVP-383), later WHEC-383, from 1948 to 1971, seeing service in the Vietnam War during her Coast Guard career. Transferred to South Vietnam in 1971, she served in the Republic of Vietnam Navy as the frigate RVNS Trần Bình Trọng (HQ-05) and fought in the Battle of the Paracel Islands in 1974. When South Vietnam collapsed at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, Trần Bình Trọng fled to the Philippines, where she served in the Philippine Navy from 1979 to 1985 as the frigate RPSFrancisco Dagohoy (PF-10).
USS Wachapreague (AGP-8) was a motor torpedo boat tender in commission in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946, seeing service in the latter part of World War II. After her Navy decommissioning, she was in commission in the United States Coast Guard from 1946 to 1972 as the cutter USCGC McCulloch (WAVP-386), later WHEC-386, the fourth ship of the U.S. Coast Guard or its predecessor, the United States Revenue Cutter Service, to bear the name. In 1972 she was transferred to South Vietnam and served in the Republic of Vietnam Navy as the frigate RVNS Ngô Quyền (HQ-17). Upon the collapse of South Vietnam at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, she fled to the Philippines, and she served in the Philippine Navy from 1977 to 1985 as the frigate RPSGregorio del Pilar (PF-8) and from 1987 to 1990 as BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-12).
The Barnegat class was a large class of United States Navy small seaplane tenders (AVP) built during World War II. Thirty were completed as seaplane tenders, four as motor torpedo boat tenders, and one as a catapult training ship.
BRP Liberato Picar (PC-377) is the seventh ship of the Jose Andrada class coastal patrol boats of the Philippine Navy. It is part of the first batch of its class ordered through US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) in 1990, and was commissioned with the Philippine Navy in January 1992. It was initially designated as Fast Patrol Craft, and was numbered "DF-377", but later on was re-designated as Patrol Gunboat "PG-377". Another round of reclassification was made in April 2016, which redesignated the patrol gunboat as the coastal patrol craft PC-377.
The Del Pilar-class are offshore patrol vessels currently in service with the Philippine Navy and previously in service with the US Coast Guard as Hamilton-class high endurance cutters. The Department of National Defense is currently in the process of upgrading their systems and capabilities under a modernization project awarded to Hanwha Systems of South Korea.
BRP Nestor Reinoso (PC-380) is the tenth ship of the Jose Andrada class coastal patrol boats of the Philippine Navy. It is part of the second batch of its class ordered through US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) in 1993, and was commissioned with the Philippine Navy on 1 June 1995.
BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16) is the second ship of the Gregorio del Pilar-class patrol ships of the Philippine Navy. From 1968 to 2012, she was known as USCGC Dallas and served the United States Coast Guard as a high endurance cutter. She was decommissioned on 30 March 2012 and acquired by the Philippines under the Excess Defense Articles and the Foreign Assistance Act.
BRP Andrés Bonifacio (PS-17) is the third ship of the Gregorio del Pilar-class offshore patrol vessels of the Philippine Navy. She is the second ship of the Philippine Navy to be named after Andrés Bonifacio, a Filipino revolutionary leader, regarded as the "Father of the Philippine Revolution" and one of the most influential national heroes of the Philippines.
BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) is the eighth ship of the Parola-class patrol vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard.
BRP Valentin Diaz (PS-177) is an Alvarez-class patrol ship of the Philippine Navy. She is the Philippine Navy's second ship of the class and was a Cyclone-class patrol ship previously named USS Monsoon (PC-4) during her service with the US Navy.
GTS Wins $1.1 Million Contract to Develop and Deploy Coast Watch System
making use of ship's downtime
This ability is also present in the 3 Del Pilar-class