"US helps Philippines fortify defense in Palawan"--Inquirer Global Nation

Pursuing its pivot to Asia strategy, the United States on Thursday handed over to the Philippines new equipment to improve surveillance and law enforcement operations in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) as President Benigno Aquino prepared to meet China’s leader for talks that may include territorial disputes in those waters.

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Source: 

Ingquirer global nation

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Six M-II3 Armored Personel Carrier Delivered to Philippine Army

US M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier in Iraq (In Public Domain)

With the PhP4.7B that the AFP got from the conversion of former military bases, 43 of its modernization projects were completed, including the delivery of six M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier and 1,621 night vision fighting system units to the Philippine Army, the Phippine Daily Inqurer reported in March of this year.

M-113 Specifications

Weight	12.3 tonnes (13.6 short tons; 12.1 long tons)
Length	4.863 metres (15 ft 11.5 in)
Width	2.686 metres (8 ft 9.7 in)
Height	2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in)
Crew	2
Passengers	11 passengers
Armor	aluminum 12–38 millimetres (0.47–1.5 in)
Main armament	M2 Browning machine gun
Secondary armament	varies (see text)
Engine	Detroit Diesel 6V53T, 6-cylinder diesel engine 275 hp (205 kW)
Power/weight	22.36 hp/tonne
Suspension	torsion bar, 5 road wheels
Operational range	~480 km (~300 miles)
Speed	67.6 km/h (42.0 mph), 5.8 km/h (3.6 mph) swimming

Sources:

1. Wikipedia - M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier  

2. Inquirer News - Online

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BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF15)

BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (Goryo) (PF15)
Docked at Poro Point, La Union for refueling and awaiting for further instructions after being pulled-out from Panatag Shoal.
(Under Creative Commons).

BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15) is a Philippine Navy Gregorio del Pilar class frigate acquired by the Philippines under the Excess Defense Articles and the Foreign Assistance Act when It was decommissioned by the US Coast Guard on March 28, 2011.

Gregorio del Pilar was the second Philippine Navy ship to have borne the same name, the first being another ex-US Coast Guard cutter and is one of the first ex-US Coast Guard Hamilton-class cutters serving the Philippine Navy.

General Characteristics:

Type:                      Frigate

Displacemnet:     Approx. 3,250 tons

Lenght:                  378 ft (115 m)

Beam:                    43 ft (13 m)

Draft:                      8.75 ft (2.67 m)

Installed Power:  5,800 hp (4,300 kW)

Propulsion System: 

      Combined diesel or gas (CODOG) system;

• 2× Fairbanks-Morse 38TD8-1/8-12 12-cylinder diesel engines generating 7,000 hp (5,200 kW); and
• 2× Pratt & Whittney FT4A-6 gas turbines producing 36,000 hp (27,000 kW),

Speed:                  28 knots (52 km/h) max

Range:                 14,000 nautical miles (25,900 km)

Endurance:          45 Days

Sensors and Processing Systems:

• Raytheon/Furuno AN/SPS-73 navigation and surface search radar; and
• Sperry Mk 92 mod. 1 Fire Control System,

Armamaments:

• 1x Mk.75 Oto Melara 76 mm Compact main gun;
• 1x 25mm Chain Gun;
• 6x 50-caliber Machine Guns;
• 2x 20mm Cannons; and
• 2x Loral Hycor Mk.36 6-barrelled Super Rapid Blooming Offboard Chaff (SRBOC) decoy launchers.

Carried:

• Boats and Landing - Rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB)
• Aircraft - BO-105C light helicopter

Aviation Facilities:    retractable hangar and flight deck

Sources: 

1. Wikipedia - BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15). 

2. Official Gazzete of the Republic of the Philippines

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BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF16)

BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF16)
Philippine Navy's newly acquired vessel, US Coast Guard Cutter Dallas.

(Under Creative Commons)

BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16) is a Philippine Navy Gregorio del Pilar class frigate. A high enduance cutter that serverd the US Coast guard From 1968 to 2012. It was decommissioned on March 20 2012 and was acquired by the Philippines under the Excess Defense Articles and the Foreign Assistance Act.

Ramon Alcaraz is the second of several ex-US Coast Guard Hamilton-class cutters that will serve the Philippine Navy.

Sources:

1. Philippine Star - online 

2. Wikipedia - BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16)

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Sokol Combat Utility Helicopter

PAF PZL-W3 Sokol, DND - Sokol Commissioning, March 9, 2012
(Creative Commons http://www.flickr.com/photos/dndphl/6822641988/in/photostream/)

The W-3 Sokół ('Falcon') is the first helicopter to be fully designed and serial-built in Poland. Four of which was delivered to the Philippine Air Force  on February 2012, and was assigned to the 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing.

Role:                    Multi Purpose Utility Helicopter

Manufacturer:     PZL-Świdnik

Status:                 Four In Active service, another four to arrive within the Year.

Assignment:       205th Tactical Helicopter Wing

Sources:

1. Official Website of the Phillipine Air Force

2. Wikipedia - W3 Sokol 

3. Philippine Inquirer-Online 

4. Philippine Star - Online  

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PN gets new Philippine made multi-purpose attack craft

New MPACs
(In Public Domain, www.navy.mil.ph)

The Philippine Navy last August 6, has received two new multi-purpose attack craft (MPAC)  of Filipino designed and made. 

Another MPAC, with modifications of this type was received during the 114th anniversary celebration of the PN last May in which up to a total of 42 units are expected to enter service in the near future.

Taiwanese Built MPACs 

Swedish Combat Boat 90 (CB 90) in the port of Gothenburg
(under creative commons)

The Philippine Navy in May 2009 received the first batch of three Taiwanese-built (MPAC) similar to the Swedish Combat Boat 90 during the 111th Anniversary of the Philippine Navy in May 2009.

The 1st three MPACs are around 15 meters long and are equipped with a water jet system. It has a maximum speed of 40 knots (74 km/h) and could reach around 300 nautical miles (560 km) while traveling on a transit speed of 30 knots (56 km/h). It is made of welded aluminum and can carry 16 fully equipped soldiers and 4 crew members or a payload of 2 tons. 

The ships are armed with one 50-caliber machine gun and two 7.62mm machine guns.

Sources:

Yahoo News
wikipedia - Philippine Navy

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PAF Acquires New SF-260FHs Basic Trainer Aircraft

SF-260AM of the Italian Airforce
(Creative Commons Share Alike with Attribution)

In a news report that can be found in Inquirer News, PAF has acquired 18 brand new SF-260FHs Basic Trainer aircraft with a cost nearing PHP 623 Million in September 2011.

Said aircraft will be used to improve the capability of the PAF to train its pilots, which was presented by PAF Commanding General Oscar H. Rabena, during the 12th founding anniversary of the Air Education and Training Command in San Fernando Airbase, Lipa City, Batangas,

Source: 

Inquirer News

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