The capability of the Philippine Navy (PN) to secure the
country's vast maritime domains will get a much-needed boost with the pending
arrival of the USCGC Boutwell, the Hamilton-class cutter earlier pledged to the
PN by US President Barack Obama.
The latter is the sister ship of BRP Gregorio Del Pilar
(formerly the USCGC Hamilton) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (ex-USCGC Dallar) which
were decommissioned in 2011 and 2012, respectively.
The USCGC Boutwell will be decommissioned from US Coast
Guard service on Wednesday in San
Diego , California
"We are expecting the delivery of this ship this year.
(It will be an) additional asset for the PN and will be a big boost to our
capabilities once it enters our inventory," Navy public affairs office
chief Capt. Lued Lincuna said.
The USCGC Boutwell is the seventh high endurance cutter to
be decommissioned, with five remaining in service across the Pacific.
The US Coast Guard is working with the State Department to
transfer the ship to the PN as part of a Foreign Military Sale Program through
the Foreign Assistance Act.
Obama announced that the US is donating the USCGC Boutwell
to the PN along with the research vessel, R/V Melville during his visit to the
Philippines last November 17, the height of the APEC Leaders' Summit in Manila.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=866293
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