Ilocos Norte-class patrol boat

BRP Romblon (SARV-3503)
Class overview
Builders	Tenix Shipbuilding, Australia
Operators	Philippine Coast Guard
Completed	4
Active	4
General characteristics
Type	Patrol Boat (WPB)
Displacement	120 tons
Length	36.2 metres (119 ft)
Beam	6.7 metres (22 ft)
Draught	3.9 metres (13 ft)
Propulsion	2 x 35008D Caterpillar engines rated at 1044KW at 1800RPM, 2 shafts, 1 waterjet, fixed pitch propellers
Speed	25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range	800 nautical miles (1,500 km; 920 mi) at 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	4 Officers + 16 Ratings
Sensors & processing systems	Furuno navigational radar
Armament	4 x M2 Browning [1]

The Ilocos Norte-class patrol boat is a series of four vessels in active service of the Philippine Coast Guard. Their hull number prefix "SARV" means they are classified as "search and rescue vessels". Currently Non operational. ^{[2] [3]}

Design and construction

The Ilocos Norte class is a 35-metre (115 ft), all-aluminium patrol boat designed by Tenix Shipbuilding in Australia, based on the company's Pacific-class patrol boat. ^[4] Four vessels were delivered to the Philippine Coast Guard in December 2001. ^[4] An option for a follow on order of ten more ships was offered by Tenix, but not used by the Philippine Coast Guard. ^[4]

Tenix reused the Ilocos Norte design in 2008 for the New South Wales Police Force patrol vessel Nemesis; the largest police-operated patrol boat in the Southern Hermisphere. ^[5]

Operational history

The BRP Nueva Vizcaya (SARV 3502).

On December 24, 2009, BRP Nueva Vizcaya (SARV 3502), along with BRP Pampanga (SARV 003)and MT Tug Habaga (TB-271), was deployed to Cavite to conduct search and rescue operations when MV 'Catalyn B, a wooden hull motorized vessel collided with the fishing vessel FV Anatalia and sank 2.8 nautical miles (5.2 km; 3.2 mi) northwest of Limbones Island at 2:25 a.m. Thursday. ^[6]

On April 8, 2013, BRP Romblon (SARV 3503) was deployed when a Chinese fishing vessel ran aground in Tubbataha Reef. ^[7] Romblon assisted with removing the ship's cargo and fuel. ^[8]

Publicly available Automated Identification System (AIS) tracking data shows that only one of the vessels, BRP Romblon, has left its home port in the year 2024.

Ships in class

Hull number	Name	Builder	Commissioned	Status
SARV-3501	BRP Ilocos Norte	Tenix Shipbuilding	May 2003	Active
SARV-3502	BRP Nueva Vizcaya		2003	Active
SARV-3503	BRP Romblon		November 2003	Active
SARV-3504	BRP Davao del Norte		February 12, 2004	Active

Gallery

• 
  (SARV-3502) BRP Nueva Vizcaya
• 
  (SARV-3503) BRP Romblon
• 
  (SARV-3504) BRP Davao Del Norte

References

1. hitokiri_shinji. "AFP Materiel Technical Specification Archives Main". Angelfire . Retrieved 2013-10-04.
2. https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/bmt-examining-feasibility-of-bringing-australian-built-philippine-coast-guard-vessels-back-into-service ^{[ bare URL ]}
3. https://www.ombudsman.gov.ph/pcg-officials-face-dismissal-graft-raps-over-p68m-unlawful-procurement/ ^{[ bare URL ]}
4. • Tenix Defence - Marine. "Naval and Paramilitary Vessels" (PDF). p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 October 2007. Retrieved 8 March 2008.
5. Davitt, Ernie (18 October 2008). "Seagoing patrol vessels strengthen police CT role". Australian Security Magazine. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
6. "Sea tragedy in Cavite strikes before Christmas Day". abs-cbnNEWS.com. 2009-12-25.
7. Kwok, Abigail; Badilla, Elmer (2013-04-09). "AFTER USS GUARDIAN - Chinese vessel runs aground in Tubbataha". InterAksyon.com. Archived from the original on 2013-04-12. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
8. "Nakasadsad na Chinese ship sa Tubbataha tatanggalin sa Sabado | PSN Balita Ngayon, Pilipino Star Ngayon Sections, Pilipino Star Ngayon". philstar.com. 2013-04-12. Retrieved 2013-10-04.