BRP Nestor Acero

Last updated
BRP Nestor Acero 1.jpg
BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901)
History
Flag of the Philippines.svgPhilippines
NameBRP Nestor Acero
NamesakePrivate First Class Nestor Acero, PN (Marines), Philippine Medal of Valor Awardee
BuilderIsrael Shipyards Ltd.
Launched26 June 2022
Acquired06 September 2022
Commissioned28 November 2022
Statusin active service
Badge BRP Nestor Acero Badge.png
General characteristics
Class and type Acero-class gunboat
Displacement95 tons full load [1]
Length32.65 m (107 ft 1 in) [2]
Beam6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) max [2]
Draft0.38 m (1.25 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 (fitted for but not with)
  • 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

BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901) is lead ship of the Acero-class patrol gunboats 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. [4]

Contents

Namesake

Nestor Acero AFP Medal of Valor recipient.jpg

Private First Class Nestor F. Acero, PN (Marines) was an enlisted Marine of the Philippine Marine Corps and a recipient the Philippines' highest military award for courage, the Medal of Valor. [5]

Acero was assigned as rifleman in the 7th Marine Company in Jolo, Sulu on 26–27 November 1972 when his company along with the 8th Marine Company assaulted a hill defended by approximately 500 Moro rebels. [6] The marines encountered heavy resistance and took casualties. A withdrawal was eventually ordered from Battalion level. Acero however, was nursing a wounded comrade and elected to cover the withdrawal of the rest of his unit. He was killed in action.

History

In 2019, the Philippine Navy raised a requirement to procure a new class of coastal patrol interdiction craft (CPIC) that would be missile-capable and are based on Israel's Shaldag V patrol boat design, [7] and would replace the Tomas Batilo-class fast attack crafts that have been retired in service. [4] [8]

A contract was signed between the (DND), Israel Shipyards Ltd. and Israeli Ministry of Defense on 9 February 2021, with the Notice to Proceed to start the effectivity of the contract released on 27 April 2021. [4] [9]

The first boat of the class, the Nestor Acero (901), was launched on 26 June 2022, and became the basis for the class' name. [4] [10] The boat arrived in the Philippines together with its sistership Lolinato To-ong (PG-902) in early September 2022, and was christened as the BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901) on 6 September 2022. [4] [11] Both boats were commissioned with the Philippine Navy on 28 November 2022 and was assigned with the Littoral Combat Force. [4] [12] These were the first two ships delivered and commissioned out of nine initial Fast Attack Interdiction Crafts ordered by the Philippine Navy for this project. [13]

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.

Design

Armament

The ship class was 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.

It is also one of the few ships of the class that did not have a Rafael Typhoon MLS-NLOS missile launcher for Spike-NLOS surface-to-surface missiles upon its commissioning, although the boat was fitted for the missile launcher there are plans to integrate such weapon in the future. [13]

Operational deployments

The Nestor Acero was deployed to the Naval Forces Western Mindanao Command's area of responsibility and arrived Ensign Majini Pier, Naval Station Romulo Espaldon in Zamboanga City on December 08, 2022. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrol boat</span> Small naval vessel

A patrol boat is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence, border security, or law enforcement. There are many designs for patrol boats, and they generally range in size. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard, police, or customs, and may be intended for marine, estuarine, or river environments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine Navy</span> Naval warfare branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Typhoon Weapon Station</span> Israeli remote weapon station

The Typhoon is a type of remote weapon station manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of Israel, and it shares similar design principles and common technologies with Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station, a land-based system manufactured by the same developer. Like Samson RCWS, Typhoon is also multi-configurable.

Shaldag-class patrol boat Class of patrol boats of Israeli Navy

The Shaldag-class patrol boat is a small but fast class of patrol boats developed for the Israeli Navy and launched in 1989, it has since seen service with several other navies.

BRP <i>Liberato Picar</i>

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.

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 <i>Dionisio Ojeda</i>

BRP Dionisio Ojeda (PC-117) was a Tomas Batilo-class fast attack craft of the Philippine Navy. It was part of the second batch transferred by the South Korean government in 2006. It was formally commissioned with the Philippine Navy in 2007.

<i>Tomas Batilo</i>-class patrol craft

The Tomas Batilo class was a ship class of eight patrol boats that were previously service of the Philippine Navy. These ships were formerly used by the South Korean Navy as Chamsuri/Wildcat class fast attack crafts. All eight ships have been retired from active service, with two units lost in separate incidents while the rest are in different state of disposal.

Multipurpose Assault Craft Fast attack assault

The Multi-Purpose Assault Craft (MPAC) is a type of fast attack assault craft developed for the Philippine Navy. Originally designed to transport troops at a high speed and then land them on the beach, they have since expanded their roles to include interdiction, surface warfare, and search and rescue.

BRP <i>Filipino Flojo</i>

BRP Filipino Flojo (PC-386) is the fifteenth ship of the Jose Andrada-class patrol craft coastal patrol craft 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 22 May 1996. She is currently in active service with the Littoral Combat Force, Philippine Fleet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nestor Acero</span>

Nestor F. Acero was an enlisted Marine of the Philippine Marine Corps and a recipient the Philippines' highest military award for courage, the Medal of Valor. Acero was assigned as rifleman in the 7th Marine Company in Jolo, Sulu on 26–27 November 1972 when his company along with the 8th Marine Company assaulted a hill defended by approximately 500 Moro rebels. The marines encountered heavy resistance and took casualties. A withdrawal was eventually ordered from Battalion level. Acero however, was nursing a wounded comrade and elected to cover the withdrawal of the rest of his unit. He was killed in action.

BRP Anastacio Cacayorin (PC-387) is the sixteenth ship of the Jose Andrada-class patrol craft coastal patrol craft of the Philippine Navy. She was commissioned in 1996 and is currently in active service with the Littoral Combat Force, Philippine Fleet.

<i>Acero</i>-class gunboat Philippine Navy class of patrol gunboats

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

BRP <i>Lolinato To-ong</i>

BRP Lolinato To-ong (PG-902) is second ship of the class 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.

BRP <i>Gener Tinangag</i>

BRP Gener Tinangag (PG-903) is third ship of the class of the Acero-class patrol gunboat of the Philippine Navy. She was commissioned during the 125th Philippine Navy Anniversary on May 26, 2023.

BRP <i>Domingo Deluana</i> Acero-class patrol gunboat in the Philippine Navy

BRP Domingo Deluana (PG-905) is fourth ship of the class of the Acero-class patrol gunboat of the Philippine Navy. She was commissioned during the 125th Philippine Navy Anniversary on May 26, 2023.

BRP <i>Herminigildo Yurong</i> Acero-class patrol gunboat in the Philippine Navy

BRP Herminigildo Yurong (PG-906) is the fifth ship of the Acero-class patrol gunboat of the Philippine Navy. She was commissioned on 21 May 2024, just before the Philippine Navy's 126th Anniversary.

BRP <i>Laurence Narag</i> Acero-class patrol gunboat in the Philippine Navy

BRP Laurence Narag (PG-907) is the sixth ship of the Acero-class patrol gunboat of the Philippine Navy. She was commissioned on 21 May 2024, just before the Philippine Navy's 126th Anniversary.

References

  1. 1 2 Legien, Wolfgang (2011). "Shaldag Fast Patrol Craft" (PDF). Naval Forces IV. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Vessel Review Nester Acero – Philippine Navy Welcomes Missile-Capable Attack Boats Into Service". Baird Maritime. 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  3. "Israel delivers two new Acero class patrol gunboats to Philippines". 13 April 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Fast Attack Interdiction Craft - Missile (FAIC-M) Acquisition Project of the Philippine Navy". Philippine Defense Resource. 2019-06-19. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  5. Fonbuena, Carmela (20 December 2017). "FAST FACTS: List of Medal of Valor awardees and their privileges". Rappler. Archived from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  6. "The Philippine Navy Has Commissioned Its First Two Missile-Capable Gunboats". Esquire Philippines. 5 December 2022. Archived from the original on 14 October 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  7. "Knowing the Shaldag-class Fast Patrol Boats". Pitz Defense Analysis. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  8. "Philippine Navy commissions two Shaldag Mk V attack craft". www.imdexasia.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-03. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
  9. Vavasseur, Xavier (2022-06-29). "Israel Shipyards Launches First Two Fast Patrol Craft for Philippine Navy". Naval News. Archived from the original on 2023-08-04. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
  10. "2 new Navy missile boats from Israel now ready for active service". Philippine News Agency. 28 November 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  11. "Philippine Navy christens first two Acero-class patrol gunboats". Navy Recognition. 8 September 2022. Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  12. Sadongdong, Martin (28 November 2022). "Navy commissions 2 new patrol gunboats". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  13. 1 2 "Additional Shaldag-class Fast Attack Interdiction Crafts for the Philippine Navy?". Pitz Defense Analysis. 18 December 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  14. Garcia, Teofilo Jr (December 9, 202). "Naval Forces Western Mindanao gets missile-capable gunboat". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2024.