The Hamilton captain's speech during the decomm ceremony implied the turn over to the PN will take place before May 1.
Arrival in the Philippines is expected in September,as per AFP press releases.
Philippine Navy Discussion and Updates
- Thread starter gforce
- Start date
Arrival in the Philippines is expected in September,as per AFP press releases.
The timing of the USCG's decommissioning schedule was a dependency. Can't blame the AFP for that.Originally, it was scheduled for 1st half of ths year on the initial announcement...
They didn't decommission the ship till this week. Our boys need time to train and prep the ship.
Sandhi Yudha
Well-Known Member
It would be a good decision to replace that antique museumpiece by a Hamilton class cutter. With its 76mm Oto Melara gun, 2 x 25 mm Mk38, a 20 mm Phalanx, a helipad and its range of 14,000 nautical miles its an ideal platform for search and rescue (SAR) and patrolling the Filipina's exclusive economic zone.
niftyDolphine
New Member
The PN should prioritize securing its borders first. I’m sick of hearing news that we don’t have the necessary ships to patrol our own borders, especially in the Mindanao area.
Cutters with radar and other sensory equipment is what we really now!
Cutters with radar and other sensory equipment is what we really now!
"NEED" I agree with you 100%...The AFP is really running out of time, No more IFS or BUTS! It's not guaranteed that the US will support RP in case an armed hostilities do breakout on the disputed South China Sea Islands!
The 20mm Phalanx CIWS has been emoved from the Hamilton, with only the 76m Oto Melara and 2X 25mm Mk 38 remaining on board...It would still be an ideal vessel to patrol the VAST EEZ area of the Philippines and there is a possibility that 2 more of this class will be acquired later this year or early next year...
NO, not at all...the price has been a mystery sinced this transfer was announced almost 3 months ago by the AFP, I hope they got a good deal from the USCG...
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Official turnover date to the PN will be May 13th at Coast Guard Island Alameda...I'm not sure if it will sail right away after that date or if it will go to a drydock 1st for upgrades/renovations sinced most of it's electronincs have been removed...
I had read today in the ABS-CBN news.com that the A.F.P. is negotiating for another two decommisioned Hamilton class ship. acording to AFP spokesman Commodore Miguel Jose Rodriguez the talks are on exploratory stage and to him the first hamilton class worth P1.2 billion pesos and will arrive in August and to be assign in Palawan and Spratly islandOfficial turnover date to the PN will be May 13th at Coast Guard Island Alameda...I'm not sure if it will sail right away after that date or if it will go to a drydock 1st for upgrades/renovations sinced most of it's electronincs have been removed...
It is for a 44 year old ship, that's almost $27 Million and not even including the Phalanx CIWS and other recently installed electronic sensors/radars...The PN could have bought a brand new OPV at that price, looks like something fishy happened during the negotiations of this transfer...
all they had to do is wait a decade or so and they could buy 3 or 4 ex-RAN Armidales for that.It is for a 44 year old ship, that's almost $27 Million and not even including the Phalanx CIWS and other recently installed electronic sensors/radars...The PN could have bought a brand new OPV at that price, looks like something fishy happened during the negotiations of this transfer...
Keep in mind the NZ OPVs ran around NZD 90 million each. Offhand that is around USD 60 million. Furthermore, the cutters are being funded by US aid in the same way as Pakistan's FFGs... At that price they are getting the cutters for practically nothing out of their pockets, that price mostly pays for the forthcoming thorough dry dock and the equipment which will be installed...It is for a 44 year old ship, that's almost $27 Million and not even including the Phalanx CIWS and other recently installed electronic sensors/radars...The PN could have bought a brand new OPV at that price, looks like something fishy happened during the negotiations of this transfer...
That also pays for crew training among other things.It is for a 44 year old ship, that's almost $27 Million and not even including the Phalanx CIWS and other recently installed electronic sensors/radars...The PN could have bought a brand new OPV at that price, looks like something fishy happened during the negotiations of this transfer...
niftyDolphine
New Member
The PN shouldn't have bought this old ship if it cost $27 Million; I agree that we should have opted for a new smaller boat; which will be capable enough to patrol some of our sensitive coastlines in the south and also the spratlys.
It still should not cost $27 Million, It is just WAY too much for an old boat with no weapons except a 76 mm canon...
StevoJH
The Bunker Group
So what should the RAN have paid for a 'boat' with no weapons except a 25mm cannon?It still should not cost $27 Million, It is just WAY too much for an old boat with no weapons except a 76 mm canon...
A phalanx would have added 10-15 million to the price of the ship.
niftyDolphine
New Member
PN is planning to buy 3 old hamilton class cutters(Php1.2B each)! Saw the news in philStar.
com'on navy, these are really old ships, just buy 1 to see how it will affect our operations but invest the other 2billion in newer ships. we cant keep keep buying old ships forever...
com'on navy, these are really old ships, just buy 1 to see how it will affect our operations but invest the other 2billion in newer ships. we cant keep keep buying old ships forever...
There's no question that the Hamiltons will better improve the PN's ability to monitor it's national waters. I'm concerned however about the yearly operating costs of these ships though I'm sure there's tonnes of spares available. Granted, the aim was to get a hull into service in the shortest time-frame possible and funds are scarce but IMO the government should allocate funds for a locally built OPV at around 1,200 tonnes rather than introduce into service a whole class of 3,000 odd tonne cutters which are 30 over years old.
Also, I feel that these ships are a bit large large for the requirements of the PN. They were built to patrol areas near Alaska in heavy sea states, requiring long endurance, hence the size.
I'm curious as to whether the leadership of the PN is really keen on these cutters or was it a political decision?
Also, I feel that these ships are a bit large large for the requirements of the PN. They were built to patrol areas near Alaska in heavy sea states, requiring long endurance, hence the size.
I'm curious as to whether the leadership of the PN is really keen on these cutters or was it a political decision?
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PN to Acquire 3 LPD's from Indonesia
Official Turnover Date to the PN is May 13th at 1400 Hours West Coast Daylight Savings Time at USCG Island Alameda and will be renamed BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15) ...
US Government to turnover USGC Hamilton to Philippine Navy - Philippine Navy News
P.S. The ship is now officially under PN control/custody, but will remain in US port until late July to early August for additional repair/upgrades and personnel training prior to getting underway across the Pacific...
Possible acquisition of 3 LPD's from Indonesia's PT PAL for the Philippine Navy, talks are still ongoing at this stage with a formal announcement to be made within a few months if a deal is reached...
Philippines Defense Forces Forum -> 3 New MRVs for Phil Navy? (www.janes.com)
PAL INDONESIA : : :
The Navy intends to procure a submarine before the end of this decade in a bid to secure national interest and maintain military balance within the region as reported at janes.com...
Philippines eyes submarine acquisition by 2020
http://www.defense-studies.blogspot.com/2011/05/philippine-navy-bent-on-buying.html
Official Turnover Date to the PN is May 13th at 1400 Hours West Coast Daylight Savings Time at USCG Island Alameda and will be renamed BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15) ...
US Government to turnover USGC Hamilton to Philippine Navy - Philippine Navy News
P.S. The ship is now officially under PN control/custody, but will remain in US port until late July to early August for additional repair/upgrades and personnel training prior to getting underway across the Pacific...
Possible acquisition of 3 LPD's from Indonesia's PT PAL for the Philippine Navy, talks are still ongoing at this stage with a formal announcement to be made within a few months if a deal is reached...
Philippines Defense Forces Forum -> 3 New MRVs for Phil Navy? (www.janes.com)
PAL INDONESIA : : :
The Navy intends to procure a submarine before the end of this decade in a bid to secure national interest and maintain military balance within the region as reported at janes.com...
Philippines eyes submarine acquisition by 2020
http://www.defense-studies.blogspot.com/2011/05/philippine-navy-bent-on-buying.html
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Surely the PN has a long list of other pressing priorities to address first rather than get a small number of SSKs. Securing national interest would I think be better achieved by getting a class of new OPVs and dedicated fix wing MPA's.
Could they possibly get our old P-3's or sometihing? Maybe some diesel boats eventually.
Well, there a lots of P-3s stored at AMARC, it's just a question of funding. Personally, I feel buying a new airframe would be a better option in the long run.
Whilst SSKs are very useful in wartime and even in peacetime, SSKs can't search and board intruding foreign ships. the man problem facing the PN at the moment is it's inability to monitor its vast territorial waters and deter illegal foreign fishing, not to mention naval intrusions in the Spratleys area. Not only is it short of hulls, what hulls it has - with the exception of the Jacinto class and the former USS Cyclone - have an average age of 40 years. Another problems is that to even operate a single SSK would require a huge increase in the budget to with operating and support costs.