Phl Navy acquires new vessel

By Jaime Laude

Philippine Star, Monday, September 12,2011

Manila Philippines- The Philippine Navy is commisioning the construction of a 579-ton Landing Craft Utility (LCU) that will be launched in the last quarter of the year.

The engine and propulsion system of the ship will be craeted by PROMPMECH whila its hull and fixtures will be made by Philippine Iron Construction and Marine Works (PICMW).

The construction of the ship is funded by the Navy's P176-million LCU acquisition project.

The acquisition of the Philippine-made LCU will provide for a readily available watercraft for combat support missions such as logistic transport and amphibious operations," Navy spokesman Omar Tonsay said.

This month, the Navy has received the weather endurance cutter BRP Gregorio del Pilar acquired from the United States Coast Guard for P450 million.

Local shipbuilders configured the LCU to transport combat personnel,tanks, vehicles, artillery, and cargo.

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‘BRP Gregorio del Pilar’ makes port

By Victor Reyes
Malaya, Monday, August 22, 2011

THE Navy’s largest and newly acquired ship arrived from the United States yesterday morning and will be formally welcomed by President Aquino tomorrow.

Navy chief Vice Adm. Alexander Pama boarded the ship at the Manila Bay anchorage and had lunch (boodle fight) with the 95 officers and men, led by Capt. Alberto Cruz, who sailed the Hamilton cutter from San Francisco on July 18.

Pama said the ship had to undergo "customs, quarantine and immigration" inspection as part of procedures for ships coming from abroad.

After the arrival ceremony on Tuesday, the ship to be named BRP Gregorio del Pilar will undergo dry-docking and repainting. Its color will be changed from white to gray which is the official color of the Navy.

The ship will be deployed at the West Philippine Sea where the country has a vast maritime interest to protect.

The 44-year-old ship was acquired from the US Coast Guard through the US Excess Defense Articles program.

President Aquino, accompanied by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, will lead the formal welcome ceremony for the ship and its crew at the South Harbor. Guests will have the chance to tour the ship.

Pama said the ship will be an "icon to the revival of the capability upgrade of the Philippine Navy."

"This will be a symbol of our seriousness (in upgrading the Navy capability). Because we are a maritime nation, this will jumpstart our revival of our Navy’s capability," he also said.

www.malaya.com.ph

Navy gets new Hamilton-class ship, says it will revive defense capability

By Alexis Romero
Philippine Star, Monday, August 22, 2011

MANILA, Philippines - The newly acquired Hamilton-class ship from the US symbolizes the revival of the military’s defense capabilities, the Navy said yesterday.

“We regard this (newly acquired ship) as an icon of the revival of the capability upgrade of the armed forces. This symbolizes our seriousness (to upgrade our military),” Navy chief Vice Adm. Alexander Pama told radio station dzBB in Filipino.

“This (ship) would start the revival and the enhancement of the capabilities of the armed forces,” he said.

Pama said upgrading the country’s naval assets is important given that the Philippines is a maritime nation. He said the ship, which has been renamed BRP Gregorio del Pilar, would allow them to sail through huge waves.

“One of our weaknesses is the lack of vessels that could withstand a rough environment caused by huge waves. We can now do that through this ship. It symbolizes the government’s presence and is in line with efforts to protect our maritime resources,” Pama said.

The Hamilton-class ship arrived in Philippine territory last Aug. 17 after almost a month of voyage from California.

A total of 95 Navy personnel manned the ship, which arrived in Manila Bay yesterday. The ship underwent customs and immigration quarantine and inspection in line with the existing regulations on vessels from other countries.

President Aquino will lead the arrival ceremonies for the ship tomorrow at the Pier 13 in South Harbor, Manila.

www.philstar.com

Newest Philippine Navy Ship Gets Aloha Welcome

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Mark Logico
Commander Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs, Thursday, July 28, 2011

PEARL HARBOR (Jul. 27, 2011) - Members of the Hawaii Filipino community welcome Philippine navy Capt. Alberto Cruz, commanding officer of the Philippine navy frigate BRP Gregorio del Pilar which arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for a scheduled port visit. (U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Mark Logico)

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - More than a hundred Filipino-Americans and other well-wishers welcomed the Philippine Navy's newest ship, BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15), as it arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH), July 27 for a brief port visit.

Commanded by Capt. Alberto A. Cruz, Gregorio del Pilar left Alameda, Calif. on July 18 to make its maiden voyage to the Republic of the Philippines where it will join the Philippine Fleet. Gregorio del Pilar is a former U.S. Coast Guard cutter, USCGC Hamilton (WHEC 715). As a multi-mission surface combatant ship, it becomes the first gas-turbine jet engine-powered vessel in the Philippine Navy Fleet.

"This is very historic moment," said Col. Restituto Padilla, the Filipino military liaison assigned at U.S. Pacific Command. "That's why we have the Filipino community here in force. This is the first time a Philippine Navy ship pulls into historic Pearl Harbor. Coupled with that, this is the first Philippine Navy ship that is gas-turbine. In these two instances, they are milestones. I hope this will be followed through by many more ship visits to historic Pearl Harbor in the months and years to come."

Navy Region Hawaii Command Master Chief Marc Sibal rallied the Filipino-American community in Hawaii to the JBPHH piers to greet the ship. Members of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marines and Coast Guard also attended the event.

"I feel proud, very proud of it," said Sibal. "Even if I'm serving in the U.S. Navy, I'm still Filipino by culture and by heart. It's nice to see the Philippine Navy modernize their fleet. We are very uplifted, and I think everybody is very honored to have this ship pull into Pearl Harbor, to a historic place like Pearl Harbor."

Sibal, who previously served as Seventh Fleet Command Master Chief, said that the relationship between the U.S. and the Republic of the Philippines remains strong and that the ship is an example of the well-built relationship between the two countries.

Prior to taking command of the ship, 74 members of the Philippine Navy underwent two months of intensive hands-on training aboard USCGC Boutwell (WHEC 719), the sister ship of the Hamilton. While aboard Boutwell, the crew traveled to Colombia, Ecuador and El Salvador, participating in multiple missions including the interdiction of drug smugglers.

"Our partnership with the United States has been here for so many years," said Padilla. "It's getting stronger through the years. I hope this will mark a new era, as we embrace new challenges. As new security environments emerge, our partnership with the United States would get even stronger and become more relevant in the years to come."

Deputy Consul General Paul Cortes, of the Philippine Consulate in Honolulu; Capt. Jeffrey James, commander of JBPHH; and Capt. William Johnson, commanding officer of USS Lake Erie (CG 70), host ship during the port visit, were also at the pier to welcome the ship.

During the three-day port visit, Gregorio del Pilar will take on supplies and fuel, hold a reception hosted by the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu and the Philippine Celebrations Coordinating Committee of Hawaii (PCCCH), and visit the USS Arizona Memorial. A social media "tweetup" is being planned during the ship's visit. A Catholic Mass will be conducted prior to their departure.

Gregorio del Pilar and USS Reuben James (FFG 57) are scheduled to conduct a Passing Exercise (PASSEX) off the coast of Hawaii next week. PASSEX is an exercise designed to increase interoperability between the two navies, while enhancing the strong cooperative relationship.

United States Pacific Command