QUEZON CITY, May 19 (PIA) -- Riding on the Aquino administration's P11-billion military modernization budget, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Eduardo Oban Jr. on Thursday said they will be deploying by third quarter of 2011 an array of high-tech ships to safeguard the country's territorial waters.

Speaking before members of media during the CNEX Forum held at the Philippine Information Agency in Quezon City, Oban said the Philippine Navy will operate its first Hamilton-class cutter (USCGC Hamilton WHEC-715) from the United States Coast Guard within the next few months at a transfer cost amounting to P450 million.

"Ini-expect natin ang dating nito around August or September," he said.

(We expect it to arrive around August or September.)

In an article posted on the PIA website, it said that at present, the vessel is docked at the US Coast Guard facility in Alameda, California. Its maiden crew from the Philippine Fleet headed by Captain Alberto Cruz are also currently in the United States undergoing onboard familiarization training prior sailing to the Philippines.

Likewise, it said the ship was sold under the United States Navy Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program and was transferred to the Philippine Navy. It added, the ship is armed with a 76 mm-gun mount controlled by an MK92 Fire Control System. The vessel was designed to take on long-range search and rescue operations, oceanographic research, and law enforcement and defense operations. Its hangar and flight deck are also capable of handling helicopter operations. The Hamilton-class cutter was until recently the USCG’s largest class of vessel.

Relatively, Oban said, this will be followed soon by the acquisition of two additional Hamilton-class ships, long-range helicopters and additional water craft to patrol the service contract areas in Palawan, Sulu, and other seas where the country has vast maritime resources.

"Sa hanay ng AFP (ay) pinapatrolya natin ang ating territorial waters to make sure na yung protection ng ating maritime resources ay nandiyaan at walang pumapasok sa ating teritoryo at nagba-violate ng ating maritime laws," he said.

(We are patroling our territorial waters to make sure that we are protecting our maritime resources and that no foreign ships will be violating our maritime laws.)

Currently, the Philippines has close to 200 operational ships patrolling some 36,000 nautical miles of shoreline.

"Pag nakuha natin ang lahat ng ito ay mae-enhance natin ang ating capability to patrol our waters and improve our logistics," he said. (If we are able to secure all of these, our capability to patrol our waters and our logistics will be greatly enhanced.) (RJB/JCP-PIA NCR)

Last update: 23-05-2011 03:07