Additional SSV to boost PN's HADR, command-and-control capabilities

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 30): Additional SSV to boost PN's HADR, command-and-control capabilities

The Philippine Navy (PN)'s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and command-and-control capabilities will be greatly boosted with the looming arrival of its second strategic sealift vessel (SSV), the BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602), which was launched and christened in Surabaya, Indonesia Thursday.

"(Having another SSV in commission) will greatly enhance our capabilities in command-and-control and the conduct of HADR as she (BRP Davao Del Sur) can move large amounts of cargoes and and perform sealift and transport missions," PN spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna, in a message to the PNA Friday, said.

BRP Davao Del Sur is a Makassar-class landing platform dock like her sister ship BRP Tarlac.

The delivery of BRP Davao Del Sur tentatively scheduled on the mid-part of 2017, will complete the two-unit SSV procurement project with an approved budget contract of PHP4 billion sourced from the AFP Modernization Act Trust Fund.

The ship has an overall length of 120 meters, breadth of 21 meters, draft of five meters and carry a payload of 2,800 tons.

She has a cruising speed of 13 knots and maximum speed of 16 knots and a minimum operating range of 7,500 nautical miles.

BRP Davao Del Sur can carry 500 troops, two rigid-hull inflatable boats, two landing craft units and three helicopters.

Her sister ship, the BRP Tarlac , was commissioned during short ceremonies at Pier 13, Manila South Harbor last June 1.

She arrived in the Philippines last May 14 after a five-day journey from PT PAL shipyard in Surabaya.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=927531