BRP Gen. Antonio Luna (PG-141)

Career (Philippines)
Name: Gen. Antonio Luna
Namesake: Antonio Luna (1866–1899), was a Filipino general who fought in the Philippine-American War
Operator: Philippine Navy
Builder: Cavite Naval Ship Yard[1]
Laid down: 2 December 1990
Launched: 23 June 1992
Commissioned: 1999
Homeport: Naval Base Cavite
Status: In service with the Philippine Navy
General characteristics
Class and type:Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo class
Type:Large Patrol Boat
Tonnage:215 tons
Displacement:279 tons full load[2]
Length:144.4 ft (44.0 m)[2]
Beam:20.4 ft (6.2 m)[2]
Draft:5.3 ft (1.6 m)[2]
Installed power:2,040 bhp (1,520 kW)[1]
Propulsion:4 × GM Detroit Diesel 12V92 TA Diesel engines[1]
4 × propellers
Speed:18 knots (33 km/h) sustained,[1][2] 25 knots (46 km/h) maximum[3]
Range:1,100 nmi (2,000 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h)[1][2]
Crew:6 officers, 52 enlisted[1]
Sensors and
processing systems:
AN/SPS-64(V)2[4]
Armament:[1][2]
  • 2 × 40 mm 60-cal single Bofors Mk.3 AA gun
  • 2 × 20 mm 70-cal single Oerlikon AA guns
  • 4 × 12.7 mm HMG

BRP Gen. Antonio Luna is the second ship of the General Emilio Aguinaldo class patrol vessel of the Philippine Navy. This ship, along with her only sistership BRP Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo (PG-140), is one of the last that were made in the Cavite Naval Ship Yard. The original plan called for 6 Aguinaldo class vessels to be built, but this number may not be reached.[5]

Technical details

The ship's basic hull design was based on the Japanese-designed Tirad Pass SAR vessel, and the superstructure was adopted from the German-designed Kagitingan class. The class's design was found to be overloaded and underpowered [1] and due to this, there were no more plans to build all the ships originally planned.

The present weapon systems of the ship are composed of manually operated gun platforms, some guns which are from World War II era. They are composed of two Mk.3 Bofors 40 mm 60-cal single-mount guns acting as the ship's primary weapon, together with two 20 mm Oerlikon single-mount anti-aircraft guns and four 12.7 mm general purpose machine guns.[1]

The ship is powered by two GM Detroit Diesel 12V92 TA diesel engines with a combined power of around 2,040 bhp (1,520 kW) driving four propellers. The main engines can propel the 279-ton (full load) ship at a maximum speed of around 25 knots (46 km/h). It has a maximum range of 1,100 nautical miles (2,040 km) at a speed of 18 knots (33 km/h).[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Wertheim, Eric: The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 15th Edition, page 552. Naval Institute Press, 2007.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Hazegray World Navies Today World Navies Today.
  3. DLSU NROTC Website Naming and Code Designation of PN Ships
  4. Harpoon Database PG 140 Emilio Aguinaldo
  5. Opus224's Unofficial Philippine Defense Page Philippine Naval Force Recognition Guide.

External links