BRP Iloilo (PS-32)

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BRP Iloilo (PS-32)
Career (United States of America) United States Navy ensign
Name: USS PCE-897
Builder: Willamette Iron and Steel Works, Portland, Oregon
Laid down: 16 December 1942
Launched: 3 August 1943
Commissioned: 6 January 1945
Fate: Transfered to the Philippines on July 1948.
Career (Philippines)
Name: BRP Iloilo (PS-32)
Namesake: Iloilo is one of the provinces in the Visayas, Philippines.
Operator: Philippine Navy
Commissioned: 1948
Reclassified: Patrol Corvette
Fate: in service with the Philippine Navy
General characteristics
Class and type: Miguel Malvar class
Type: Patrol Corvette
Displacement: 880.8 Tons (Full Load)
Length: 184.5 ft (56.2 m)
Beam: 33 ft (10 m)
Draft: 9.75 ft (2.97 m)
Propulsion: Main: 2 x GM 12-567ATL diesel engines
Auxiliary: 2 x GM 6-71 diesel engines with 100KW gen and 1 x GM 3-268A diesel engine with 60KW gen
Speed: 16 Knots (maximum),
Endurance: 5370 nmi
Complement: around 77
Armament: 1 x 3"/50 caliber gun (76 mm) Mk22 dual purpose gun
3 × twin Bofors 40 mm gun
4 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
4 x 12.7 mm 50 cal machine guns

The BRP Iloilo (PS-32) is one of several Miguel Malvar class Patrol Corvettes in service with the Philippine Navy. She is formerly an ex-USN Patrol Craft Escort based on the Admirable class minesweeper hull that were produced during World War II, and is now classified as a corvette protecting the vast waters of the Philippines. She is actually one of the first of her class in service with the Philippine Navy (as other ships of her class were commissioned in 1975). Along with other ex-World War II veteran ships of the Philippine Navy, she is considered as one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world today.[1]


Contents

[edit] History

Commissioned in the US Navy as the USS PCE-897 in 1945, and was decommissioned after World War II.

She was then transferred and commissioned into the Philippine Navy and was renamed RPS (now BRP) Iloilo (PS-32) in 1948. She is currently assigned with the Patrol Force of the Philippine Fleet.[2]

[edit] Notable Operations

On 07 July 1973, Iloilo, as part of Task Force 32 Naval Gunfire Support Group under the command of Cdr. Vicente Escala (PN), provided pre-assault bombardment in support of Landing Force 33 during Operation "Pamukpok" against the insurgent group in Tuburan, Basilan led by Huden Abubakar Aka Juden Salikala.[3]

[edit] Technical details

Originally the ship was armed with one 3"/50 caliber dual purpose gun, three twin Bofors 40 mm guns, four 20 mm Oerlikon guns, 1 Hedgehog depth charge projector, four depth charge projectiles (K-guns) and two depth charge tracks.[4]

The same configuration applies up until the late 1980s when the Philippine Navy removed most of her old anti-submarine weapons and systems, and added four 12.7 mm general purpose machine guns, making her lighter and ideal for surface patrols, but losing her limited anti-submarine warfare capability.

The ship is powered by two GM 12-567ATL diesel engines similar to her sister ships, with a combined rating of around 1,710 bhp driving two propellers. The main engines can propel the 880.8 tons (full load) ship to a maximum speed of around 16 knots (30 km/h).[5]

There are slight difference between the BRP Iloilo as compared to some of her sister ships in the Philippine Navy, since her previous configuration was as a patrol craft escort, while the others are configured as minesweepers and patrol craft escort rescue ships.

[edit] Gallery

[edit] References

  1. ^ Manokski's Armed Forces of the Philippines Order of Battle. Philippine Navy.
  2. ^ Philippine Fleet Official Website. Commissioned ships and crafts.
  3. ^ Philippine Marine Corps Official Website. Operation "Pamukpok": Thrusting the Cutting Edge.
  4. ^ NavSource Online: Patrol Craft Escort Photo Archive. PCE-897.
  5. ^ DLSU N-ROTC Office. Naming and Code Designation of PN Vessels.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

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Miguel Malvar class corvette