A ranking official of the Philippine Navy (PN) announced
that more advanced and heavy weaponry are in the pipeline for the two Gregorio
Del Pilar (formerly the American Hamilton class heavy endurance cutters)
frigates in service.
This was announced by PN vice commander Rear Admiral Caesar
C. Taccad on Tuesday in connection with the completed and ongoing modernization
projects of the Navy.
"Missile armaments (for the Gregorio Del Pilar class
frigates) are in the pipeline," he added.
Taccad did not specify what missile systems will be fitted
but sources said that these will give the Filipino warships an anti-surface
capability.
The two BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15) were acquired last
May 2011 while its sister ship, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16), was brought by
the Americans in May 2012.
These weapons will fully transform these vessels into more
capable Navy units, Taccad added.
He declined to comment on when these upgrades will take
place for security reasons.
"Both vessels are programmed for upgrades in terms of
sensors and firepower to revive their original capabilities," the PN
earlier said.
Both ships are members of the 11-ship Hamilton
These ships are the largest in the US Coast Guard service
and armed with the 76mm Oto Melara automatic cannon and closed-in-weapon
systems.
One sister ship, the USCGC Mellon was even fitted with a
Harpoon anti-ship missile system during the 1990s.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=717084
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.