Sunday, June 2, 2013

BRP Ramon Alcaraz undergoing 'safe-to-sail' trials

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 2): BRP Ramon Alcaraz undergoing 'safe-to-sail' trials

BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16), the country's second Hamilton class cutter in service, is now undergoing "safe-to-sail" trials in preparation for her voyage to the Philippines this first week of June.

The procedure is to ensure that the ship is ready for its long voyage home and that all its systems are 100 percent ready before leaving Charleston, South Carolina, Navy spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said.

"A series of sea trials will further ensure that repairs and further modifications undertaken to the ship are satisfactory," he added.

Fabic said results of the sea trials will be known after these have been conducted.

"Determination of how many sea trials will be known as each inspection progresses. Again, this is to ensure that the ship will be 'safe-to-sail'," he added.

The BRP Ramon Alcaraz is expected to arrive in the Philippines by August.

Fabic earlier said that the vessel can be used as a radar picket by the Philippine Navy (PN) in its efforts to protect the country's extensive maritime domains.

Radar pickets are ships equipped with powerful radar and deployed in the high seas to detect ships or aircraft attempting to violate the country's territories.

The ship is one of twelve Hamilton class cutters built for the US Coast Guard.

It weighs 3,250 tons, has a length of 378 feet, beam of 43 feet, and draft of 15 feet.

Its propulsion systems consist of two diesel engines and two gas turbine engines, giving it a top speed of 29 knots.

The ship has cruising range of 14,000 miles and has a sea and loiter time of 45 days.

It has a complement of 167 officers and men.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=530190

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