PN, the only other user of Cyclone-class patrol ships

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 5): PN, the only other user of Cyclone-class patrol ships

Not many people are aware of it.

But the Philippine Navy is the only other operator of the Cyclone-class patrol ships which were constructed and commissioned by the United States Navy between 1992 and 1994 for coastal and surveillance missions.

The Philippine version of this speedy patrol ship is the BRP Mariano Alvarez (PS-38) (ex USS Cyclone) which was transferred to the PN in January 2004.

It was the first vessel of the 10 unit Cyclone class ships.

The ship was rechristened BRP General Mariano Alvarez (PS-38) on March 8, 2004, in honor of a revolutionary general in the Philippine war of independence against Spain.

The BRP Mariano Alvarez is at present assigned to the PN's patrol force.

Operationally, the ship is capable of accelerating from stop to 35 knots (65 kilometer per hour) in under three minutes, then move from full ahead to 15 knots (28 kilometer per hour) astern in 60 seconds.

In high-speed, hard-over turns, the vessel barely heeled as the automatic stabilizers engaged.

In PN service, the BRP Mariano Alvarez is armed with one Mark 38 Bushmaster 25 mm cannon, one Mark 96 stabilized Bushmaster 25 mm cannon with Mark19 Model3 40 mm automatic grenade launcher, four M2HG Browning 12.7 mm .50 caliber machine guns and two M-60 7.62 mm machine gun.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=531248