Deputy Consul General Daniel Espiritu officially sent off BRP Alcaraz (PF-16) during the 52nd US Naval Base ceremony in San Diego California on July 5, according to the official DFA Facebook page.
The newly acquired Hamilton class cutter of the Philippine Navy under the Philippine-U.S. Excess Defense Article and Military Assistance Program is captained by Captain Ernesto Baldovino.
BRP Alcaraz has 14 officers and 74 crew members. The ship is currently on its way to Guam and is expected to arrive in the Philippines on August 3.
BRP Alcaraz was named after Commodore Ramon Alcaraz, a Philippine Navy officer during World War II. It is a sister ship is BRP Gregorio del Pilar, another Hamilton class cutter.
According to Deputy Consul Espiritu the new vessel is a “modest addition to the naval arsenal of the Philippines.”
Lieutenant Commander Thomas Price and Consulate Information officer Cesar Angeles was present during the ceremony.
The vessel came from Charleston, South Carolina and arrived in San Diego on June 28.
The BRP Ramon Alcaraz had been undergoing sea trials off the waters of South Carolina in the past few months, which included testing the main weapon of the cutter, a 76mm Oto Melara automatic cannon. The BRP Alcaraz also carres a Harpoon anti-ship missle system.
http://mb.com.ph/News/National_News/21399/PH_warship_leaves_San_Diego_#.Udy14Y7D8cA
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.