Hamilton-class cutters beefs up PN's helicopter carrying capability

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 16): Hamilton-class cutters beefs up PN's helicopter carrying capability

The Philippine Navy (PN)'s capability to deploy and carry helicopters for shipboard service was greatly boosted by the arrival and commissioning of two Hamilton-class cutters.

This was disclosed by PN spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic in an interview with the PNA.

"With the arrival of the our Hamilton-class cutters (BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15) in 2011 and BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-16) in 2013, our ability to carry and deploy helicopters for shipboard is greatly boosted," he said in Filipino.

Helicopter carrying capabilities, prior the arrival of the two Hamilton class cutters was confined to the Bacolod City class logistic supports vessels which was commissioned in 1993.

Fabic said that flight decks of the Hamilton-class cutters are very ideal for basing and operating the three AgustaWestland AW-109 "Power" helicopters acquired and commissioned last December.

It is slated to receive two more, the armed versions, by the third quarter of 2014.

Fabic also pointed out that the AW-109s and its pilots are doing very well on their flight deck landing and deck handling exercises.

AW-109 crewmen and flight deck crews of BRP Gregorio Del Pilar are conducting these maneuvers as of this posting.

The PN spokesperson earlier said that that BRP Gregorio Del Pilar and its embarked AW-109 is helping in the search of the Malaysia Airlines plane which went missing last March 8.

"They (pilots and flight crews) are still conducting flight deck landings and training even if they are helping in the search of the missing Malaysian aircraft," he added.

Fabic declined to comment on where the exact location of the Filipino frigate is but stated it is somewhere along the West Philippine Sea.

Fabic said that this is the first time that BRP Gregorio Del Pilar worked with the AW-109 which it is assigned helicopter.

"The BRP Gregorio Del Pilar is operating with BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS-36) and BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS-35) along with one Norman Britten 'Islander' aircraft and the Air Force's Fokker F-27 'Friendship' plane," the PN spokesperson said.

Philippine search efforts for the missing Malaysian aircraft is still ongoing ai this posting.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=625944