MPACs with missile provisions now in Davao City

From the Philippine News Agency (May 27): MPACs with missile provisions now in Davao City

The country's first three multi-purpose attack craft (MPAC), with provisions for missile armament, finally arrived at the Sasa Wharf in Davao City Friday noon.

This was confirmed by Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson, Capt. Lued Lincuna, to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) Saturday.

The MPACs left Naval Base Heracles Alano in Sangley Point, Cavite City last Monday for Sasa Wharf where they will be among the highlights of the Navy's 119th founding anniversary on May 31, along with the brand-new BRP Davao del Sur (LD-602), the country's second strategic sealift vessel.

Along the way, the MPACs passed several ports to refuel and reprovision, and conducted endurance and speed runs, as well as a series of maneuvers at sea to familiarize the crew with the brand-new equipment, Lincuna said.

The boats were formally turned over and commissioned into the Philippine Fleet during a short ceremony at Naval Base Heracleo Alano last May 22.

These MPACs are the Mark III models and are considerably more advance than the six Mark I and IIs currently in the inventory.

Lincuna said the MPACs, with hull numbers BA-488, BA-489, and BA-491, were commissioned and quickly sent off to Davao City by Philippine Fleet commander, Rear Adm. Gaudencio Collado, after a ceremony at the Capt. Moya Boat Landing.

The PN spokesperson said the MPACs will form the 3rd Boat Attack Division of the Philippine Fleet's Littoral Combat Force.

These MPACs, constructed by the Subic Bay-based Propmech Corp., will be armed with Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.'s Spike ER (extended range) in anti-ship mode.

They are capable of penetrating 1,000 mm. (39 inches) of rolled homogeneous armor and have a maximum range of five miles.

PN flag-officer-in-command, Vice Adm. Ronald Joseph Mercado, said installation of the missile systems will follow shortly.

"(The MPACs) are only the platforms; installation of the missiles will follow," he told PNA.

These three MPACs are worth PHP270 million, which was sourced from the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Modernization Act Trust Fund of 2000.

The contract includes mission essential equipment, such as day/night electronic navigation systems, communication suites, safety-of-life-at-sea, propulsion system, and seamanship and ship-handling gears.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/991348