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BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901), an Acero-class patrol gunboat.
Class overview
BuildersIsrael Shipyards Ltd., Haifa, Israel
Operators Philippine Navy
Built2021–2023
In commission2022–present
Planned9
Building1
Completed8
Active6
General characteristics
TypePatrol gunboat
Displacement95 tons full load[1]
Length32.65 m (107 ft 1 in)[2]
Beam6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) max[2]
Draft1.25 m (4 ft 1 in)[1]
Propulsion
  • 2 × MTU 16V 4000 M70 diesel engines
  • 2 x MJP-J650 waterjets
Speedgreater than 40 knots (74 km/h) maximum
Range1,000 nmi (1,900 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement12[2]
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Furuno Navnet 3D X-band navigation/surface search radar[2]
  • Rafael Toplite electro-optical tracking system (EOTS)[3]
Armament
  • 1 x Rafael Typhoon MLS-NLOS missile launcher for 8 x Spike-NLOS surface-to-surface missiles (4 ships only)
  • 1 × Mk.44 Bushmaster II autocannon mounted on Rafael Typhoon Mk 30-C remote-controlled weapon station
  • 2 × M2HB Browning 12.7 mm/50 cal. heavy machine guns mounted on Rafael Mini Typhoon remote-controlled weapon stations
  • 2 × M60 7.62 mm/30 cal. GP machine guns

The Acero class is a class of patrol gunboats based on the Israel Shaldag V design that are in service with the Philippine Navy.

History

[edit]

In 2019, the Philippine Navy raised a requirement to procure a new class of Fast Attack Interdiction Craft (FAIC) that would be missile-capable and are based on Israel's Shaldag V patrol boat design, to replace the Tomas Batilo-class fast attack crafts that have been retired in service.[4][5]

Israel Shipyards Ltd. had offered the Shaldag V design to the Philippine Navy as early as 2016.[6] Funding to pursue the proposal was not available until a few years afterwards.[4]

The Israeli design was proven to be more capable as an interdiction craft than the smaller Multi-Purpose Attack Craft that were originally designed by a Taiwanese shipbuilder as a troop insertion assault boat, and modified in Philippine Navy service to be used as a small missile boat. Thus, when the Philippine Navy raised the requirement for a fast attack interdiction craft, the Philippines' Department of National Defense (DND) made a decision to procure them based on the Israeli proposal, and would be acquired under a Government-to-Government (G2G) deal with Israel.[4][7]

A contract was signed between the (DND), Israel Shipyards Ltd. and Israeli Ministry of Defense in February 2021, with the Notice to Proceed to start the effectivity of the contract released in April 2021.[4][8]

The first boat of the class, the BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901), was launched in June 2022, and became the basis for the class' name.[9] The hull number's use of "PG" indicates that the boats are classified as Patrol Gunboats based on Philippine Navy's 2016 naming classification standards.

In November 2022, Rear Admiral Toribio Acaci indicated that the service plans to acquire a total of 15 more Acero-class / Shaldag Mk. V patrol gunboats in the near future.[4][10][11]

Two more Acero-class gunboats were delivered on 11 April 2023,[3] christened on 8 May 2023.[12][13] and commissioned on 26 May 2023.[14]

The Philippine Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command announced the revival of their naval shipbuilding capability with the reopening of the Naval Shipbuilding Center, previously called the Cavite Naval Yard, which was refurbished and retooled as part Israel Shipyard's contract to supply fast attack interdiction crafts to the Philippine Navy. The new facility will take over production of the remaining units of the Acero class (Shaldag Mk. V) that were ordered by the DND under the FAIC-M Acquisition Project, and will likely do so for any future orders.[15]

On 12 April 2024, a field test was conducted where a Spike missile was fired in the waters of Mariveles, Bataan.[16]

On 8 May 2024, BRP Lawrence Narag participated in the maritime strike exercise of Balikatan 2024, which consisted of a sinking exercises (SINKEX) using the decommissioned BRP Lake Caliraya as a target ship. The Lawrence Narag fired a Spike-NLOS missile and successfully hit the target during the exercise.[17] On 18 June, Lawrence Narag was assigned to Naval Forces Western Mindanao and deployed to Zamboanga City.[18]

Technical details

[edit]
The BRP Herminigildo Yurong testing the Spike NLOS system.

The ship class is designed to carry one bow-mounted Mk.44 Bushmaster II autocannon mounted on Rafael Typhoon Mk 30-C remote-controlled weapon station, and two M2HB Browning 12.7 mm/50-caliber heavy machine guns mounted on Rafael Mini Typhoon remote-controlled weapon stations.

At least four of the ships will be installed with a Rafael Typhoon MLS-NLOS missile launcher for Spike-NLOS surface-to-surface missiles. All other boats are fitted for, but not with the system, and can be installed separately at any time.

A 5.2-meter rigid inflatable boat (RHIB) is stowed in the aft for those without the missile system, and is deployed using a 1,000-kilogram crane.[1]

Ships in class

[edit]
Bow number Ship name Launched Delivered Commissioned Service Status Notes
PG-901 BRP Nestor Acero 26 June 2022 6 September 2022 28 November 2022[19] Littoral Combat Force, Philippine Fleet Active
PG-902 BRP Lolinato To-Ong 26 June 2022 6 September 2022 28 November 2022[19] Littoral Combat Force, Philippine Fleet Active
PG-903 BRP Gener Tinangag 11 April 2023[20] 26 May 2023[14] Littoral Combat Force, Philippine Fleet Active
PG-905 BRP Domingo Deluana 11 April 2023[20] 26 May 2023[14] Littoral Combat Force, Philippine Fleet Active
PG-906 BRP Herminigildo Yurong[21] 18 November 2023[22] 21 May 2024[23] Littoral Combat Force, Philippine Fleet Active Armed with Spike-NLOS
PG-907 BRP Laurence Narag[21] 18 November 2023[22] 21 May 2024[23] Littoral Combat Force, Philippine Fleet Active Armed with Spike-NLOS
PG-908 BRP Tomas Campo[24] 17 September 2024[25] On-going weapons fit-out at Naval Shipbuilding Center Cavite Armed with Spike-NLOS
PG-909 BRP Albert Majini[26] Under construction at Naval Shipbuilding Center Cavite Armed with Spike-NLOS
PG-910 17 September 2024[25] On-going weapons fit-out at Naval Shipbuilding Center Cavite Armed with Spike-NLOS
[edit]
  • BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901)
    BRP Nestor Acero (PG-901)
  • BRP Gener Tinangag (PG-903)
    BRP Gener Tinangag (PG-903)
  • BRP Domingo Deluana (PG-905)
    BRP Domingo Deluana (PG-905)
  • BRP Lolinato To-Ong (PG-902)
    BRP Lolinato To-Ong (PG-902)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Legien, Wolfgang (2011). "Shaldag Fast Patrol Craft" (PDF). Naval Forces IV. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  2. ^ a b c d "Vessel Review Nester Acero – Philippine Navy Welcomes Missile-Capable Attack Boats Into Service". Baird Maritime. 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  3. ^ a b "Israel delivers two new Acero class patrol gunboats to Philippines". 13 April 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Fast Attack Interdiction Craft - Missile (FAIC-M) Acquisition Project of the Philippine Navy". Philippine Defense Resource. 2019-06-19. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  5. ^ "Philippine Navy commissions two Shaldag Mk V attack craft". IMDEX Asia. 27 December 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-08-03. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Knowing the Shaldag-class Patrol Boats". Pitz Defense Analysis. 4 July 2019. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Navy gets 2 brand new patrol craft". Manila Standard. 2022-09-06. Archived from the original on 2024-09-27. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  8. ^ "Israel Shipyards Launches First Two Fast Patrol Craft for Philippine Navy". Naval News. 29 June 2022. Archived from the original on 4 August 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Israeli-made missile boats to help defend PH littoral zones | Philippine News Agency". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  10. ^ "PH Navy eyes 15 more Israeli-made missile boats". Philippine News Agency. 2022-11-28. Archived from the original on 2022-11-29. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  11. ^ "Navy eyes 15 more Israeli missile craft". Manila Standard. 28 November 2022. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  12. ^ Nepomuceno, Priam (8 May 2023). "PH Navy christens 2 newly-acquired Israeli missile boats". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  13. ^ "Philippine Navy christens two new gunboats, inaugurates shipyard". GMA News. 8 May 2023. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  14. ^ a b c Sadongdong, Martin (26 May 2023). "PH Navy commissions 2 new patrol gunboats". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 4 August 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  15. ^ Casayuran, Mario (8 May 2023). "Zubiri leads blessing of new navy gunboats, shipbuilding center in Cavite". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  16. ^ Nepomuceno, Priam (12 April 2024). "PH Navy test-fires new non-line of sight missile system". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  17. ^ Dava, Bianca (8 May 2024). "Balikatan 2024: PH, US forces sink 'made in China' ship off Ilocos Norte". ABS-CBN News. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  18. ^ Naval Forces Western Mindanao. "NFWM Welcomes its Newest Missile-Equipped Patrol Gunboat". Facebook. Archived from the original on 27 September 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  19. ^ a b Sadongdong, Martin (28 November 2022). "Navy commissions 2 new patrol gunboats". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  20. ^ a b "Two More Interceptors Delivered To Philippine Navy". Naval News. 14 April 2023. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  21. ^ a b Montero, Max (19 November 2023). "Delivery of 2 more Shaldag Mk V FAICs". MaxDefense Philippines. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  22. ^ a b Nepomuceno, Priam (19 November 2023). "PH receives 2 more gunboats from Israel". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  23. ^ a b Nepomuceno, Priam (May 22, 2024). "Navy commissions 2 more Israeli-made missile boats". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  24. ^ "7th Acero-class Patrol Vessel Named "BRP Tomas Campo (PG908)"". Pitz Defense Updates. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  25. ^ a b Nepomuceno, Priam (23 September 2024). "PH gets 2 more Israeli-made missile boats". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  26. ^ Montero, Max (7 November 2024). "PG-909 is future BRP Albert Majini". Facebook. MaxDefense Philippines. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
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