Gregorio del Pilar-class frigate
Class overview | |
---|---|
Name: | Gregorio del Pilar class Frigate |
Builders: | Avondale Shipyards, USA |
Operators: | Philippine Navy |
In service: | 2011 to present |
Active: | 2 |
General characteristics y | |
Class & type: | Gregorio del Pilar class |
Type: | Frigate |
Displacement: | 3,250 tons |
Length: | 378 ft (115 m) |
Beam: | 43 ft (13 m) |
Draft: | 8.75 ft (2.67 m) |
Propulsion: |
|
Speed: | 29 knots (54 km/h) |
Range: | 14,000 nautical miles (25,900 km) |
Endurance: | 45 Days |
Boats & landing craft carried: |
2 × RHIB |
Complement: | 80 |
Sensors and processing systems: |
|
Electronic warfare & decoys: |
2 × Mk.36 Super Rapid Blooming Offboard Countermeasures (SRBOC) Chaff and Decoy Launching System[2] |
Armament: |
|
Aircraft carried: | 1 × AgustaWestland AW109 Power naval helicopter[6] |
Aviation facilities: | retractable hangar and flight deck |
The Gregorio del Pilar class is a ship class of two frigates currently in service of the Philippine Navy, and are currently the foremost surface combatant of the fleet. These ships were formerly used by the US Coast Guard as Hamilton class high endurance cutters. A third Hamilton class cutter, USCGC Boutwell (WHEC-719), will be donated in early 2016 by the United States.
Contents
Design
The ship was designed with a high level of habitability and provides fairly comfortable accommodations, including air conditioning.[7]
Propulsion
The Gregorio del Pilar class are the first Philippine military vessels to employ the now common shipboard application of aircraft gas turbine jet engines with the use of controllable pitch propellers. The class are equipped with two 18,000 horsepower (13,000 kW) Pratt & Whitney[8] gas turbines and can propel the ship at speeds up to 28 knots (52 km/h). The class also has two 3,500 horsepower (2,600 kW) Fairbanks-Morse[8] diesel engines, capable of driving the ship economically at 17 knots (31 km/h) for up to 14,400 nautical miles (26,700 km) without refueling.[8] A retractable/rotatable bow propulsion unit provides manoeuvrability in tight situations.
Armaments
Prior to turn-over to the Philippine Navy, the Hamilton-class cutters were 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.[8] The CIWS and chain guns were removed by the United States Coast Guard prior to turn-over, with the Mk.75 gun remaining.
The Philippine Navy installed a Mk. 38 Mod. 1 25mm chain gun and two Mk. 16 20mm Oerlikon autocannons to the PF-15, and six 50-caliber machine guns on both the PF-15 and PF-16.[4][9][10]
The Philippines ordered two new Mk. 38 Mod. 2 25mm chain guns, and are expected to be installed to the ships of the class.[11] On Feb. 17, 2014, it was reported that the Mk. 38 Mod. 2 25mm guns are already in the Philippines, waiting for the U.S. Coast Guard armament team who will install the weapons.[12] As of January 25, 2015, 2 Mk. 38 Mod. 2 25mm guns are already installed on PF-16.[5]
Flight Support
The Gregorio del Pilar class has a flight deck and hangar capable of handling helicopters. A BO-105 light surveillance helicopter was initially assigned to BRP Gregorio del Pilar, and was replaced by the newer AgustaWestland AW109 Power helicopter.[13] The helicopters first made their shipboard deployment on May 21, 2014.
Future Upgrades
It was also reported that the Philippine Navy is planning further upgrades for its Gregorio del Pilar-class Frigates. The upgrades will feature upgrades for navigation, propulsion, communication, surveillance, and weapons systems.[14]
Ships in Class
Bow number | Ship name | Launched | Commissioned | Service | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
PF-15 | BRP Gregorio del Pilar | 18 December 1965 | 14 December 2011 | Offshore Combat Force | Active |
PF-16 | BRP Ramon Alcaraz | 1 October 1966 | 22 November 2013 | Offshore Combat Force | Active |
PF-17 | TBD | TBD | TBD | Offshore Combat Force | TBD |
Gallery
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Saunders, Stephen: Jane's Fighting Ships 107th Edition 2004-2005. Jane's Information Group Ltd, 2004.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Re: Retitled: BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15) - ex USCGC Hamilton (WHEC-715)
- ↑ http://kalasagnglahi.angelfire.com/content06.html
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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