BRP Negros Occidental (PS-29)

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Career (United States of America)
BRP Negros Occidental (PS-29)
Name:	USS PCE-884
Builder:	Albina Engine and Machine Works, Portland, Oregon
Laid down:	27 October 1943
Launched:	24 February 1944
Commissioned:	30 March 1945
Fate:	Transfered to the Philippines in July 1948.
Career (Philippines)
Name:	BRP Negros Occidental (PS-29)
Namesake:	Negros Occidental is one of the provinces in the Visayas, Philippines.
Operator:	Philippine Navy
Commissioned:	July 1948
Reclassified:	Patrol Corvette
Fate:	in service with the Philippine Navy
General characteristics
Class and type:	Miguel Malvar class
Type:	Patrol Corvette
Displacement:	914 Tons (Full Load)
Length:	184.5 ft (56.2 m)
Beam:	33 ft (10 m)
Draft:	9.75 ft (2.97 m)
Installed power:	2,200 hp
Propulsion:	Main: 2 x GM 12-278A 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),
Range:	6,600 nmi at 11 knots
Complement:	85
Sensors and processing systems:	CRM-NIA-75 Surface Search Radar RCA SPN-18 I/J-band Navigation Radar ^[1]
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 Negros Occidental (PS-29) 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.^[2]

1 History
2 Technical details
3 Gallery
4 References
5 External links
6 See also

[edit] History

as USS PCE-884

Commissioned in the US Navy as the USS PCER-884 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) Negros Occidental (PS-29) in 1948. She is currently assigned with the Patrol Force of the Philippine Fleet.^[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 12-278A diesel engines, with a combined rating of around 2,200 bhp driving two propellers. The main engines can propel the 914 tons (full load) ship to a maximum speed of around 16 knots (30 km/h).^[5]

There are slight difference between the BRP Negros Occidental 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

^ Jane's Fighting Ships 2004-2005
^ Manokski's Armed Forces of the Philippines Order of Battle. Philippine Navy.
^ Philippine Fleet Official Website. Commissioned ships and crafts.
^ NavSource Online: Patrol Craft Escort Photo Archive. PCE-884.
^ DLSU N-ROTC Office. Naming and Code Designation of PN Vessels.