From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 23):
USN Lockheed P-3 Orion turboprop joins CARAT drill for future joint search and rescue mission
The United State Navy’s (USN) four-engine turboprop
anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft Lockheed P-3 Orion’s
participation in the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise
is for future joint search and rescue missions with the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) when there are calamities.
CARAT Philippines 2015 exercise director Captain Robert
Empedrad said in interviews with the local media that the P-3 Orion aircraft’s
participation is for “search and rescue” during calamities like super typhoon
Yolanda.
Empedrad said that when the sea proves wide for vessels to
search, the P-3 Orion aircraft can help locate people to rescue.
“When the sea proves it is wide enough for vessels to
explore for whatever or anyone, who needs rescuing, like during Yolanda and
Pablo, the P-3 Orion can help. This is the very purpose of the aircraft in this
[CARAT] exercise,” Empedrad said.
Described, the P-3 Orion was developed for the United States
Navy (USN) in the '60s based on the L-188 Electra, a commercial airliner.
Records about the aircraft claimed it has a MAD Boom, or
magnetic anomaly detector, used of detection of submarines.
It is still “widely used in numerous navies and air forces
in the world for maritime patrol, reconnaissance, anti-surface warfare and
anti-submarine warfare.”
Since Monday’s formal opening, CARAT has accomplished
several training-lectures, where USN experts have transferred interoperability
skills to Filipino sailors for the improvement of capacities and capabilities.
Come Wednesday, the navy-to-navy exercise director for the Philippines, said participating U.S. and Filipino sailors will navigate east of Palawan, where they will test-fire live artillery as part
of CARAT to enhance naval capabilities.
“This will be an opportunity, where they will operate with
each other to enhance and fulfill their mandated mission,” Empedrad said.
Commander Charles Villanueva also disclosed that activities
under the CARAT will have limited activities in Ulugan
Bay, Puerto Princesa that geologically
faces the West Philippine Sea.
These involve special operations unit, riverine and small
boat operations, and training on explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) for
Filipino navy seals.
“These are the capabilities of our unit and the U.S. Navy,
where best practices are going to be shared. Both of the forces will grow in
their field of expertise,” Villanueva said on activities that will be held in Ulugan Bay,
the navy’s headquarters in Palawan.
He added activities will be done too, in Honda Bay, Sta.
Lourdes in Puerto Princesa on search and rescue, and Seabees activities in the Sulu Sea.
Empedrad believes that although most of the seafaring assets
of the Philippine Navy are not as modern as those of their U.S. counterparts, the professional skills and
expertise of their personnel are able to defend the country’s territories not
only in Palawan but also in other maritime
areas.
“This is the reason why we’re having the CARAT exercise that
is focused on training so, that even if our assets are not modern, we can
defend through continuous training,” he said.
In CARAT, he stated that although the naval assets are not
at par with the USN, Filipino sailors participating are all ready to receive
new knowledge that can augment what they know to defend the country.
”Kung ikumpara mo sa US Navy, malayo ‘yong gap in terms of
sophistication, in terms of age and modernity, pero ang ating Pangulo ngayon ay
napaka-supportive sa modernization ng navy (If you compare our assets with the
US Navy, the comparison is far in terms of sophistication, in terms of age and
modernity, but our President is very supportive right now to the navy
modernization),” Empedrad said.
He added that come 2018, the PN will be receiving new patrol
vessels. Next year, one will be sailing to the country, which is a cargo ship.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=775346
