Multi-purpose Attack Craft

Class overview
Name:	MPAC (Multi-Purpose Attack Craft)
Builders:	Lung Teh Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Propmech Corp.
Operators:	Philippine Navy
In commission:	Mk1: 2009–present Mk2: 2011–present
Building:	3
Planned:	9
Completed:	6
Active:	6
General characteristics
Length:	Mk1: 15 m Mk2: 17 m
Beam:	4.76 m
Draft:	Mk1: 0.92 m Mk2: 0.90 m
Depth:	2.1 m
Speed:	Mk1: 40 kn Mk2: 45 kn
Complement:	3 crew, 2 officers, 16 fully equipped amphibious troops
Armament:	3 × Machine Guns

Multi-Purpose Attack Craft (MPAC) is a class of fast military assault craft developed for the Philippine Navy. It is designed to transport troops at a high speed and then land them on the beach.

Construction

The MPAC's hull is made out of aluminum and is powered by Water Jet engines. It has a range of 560 km, maximum speed of 40-45 knots and carries a crew of 5 plus 16 full-equipped soldiers.^[1]

History

In 2009, the Philippine Navy ordered the first batch of 3 ships from a Taiwanese company whose identity was never revealed up to now. However, speculations point out that the manufacturer might be the Taiwanese company "Lung Teh Shipbuilding Co. Ltd." In 2011, an additional 3 MPACs were built that were slightly bigger than the previous 3 ships, and these ships this time were built by the Filipino company "Propmech Corp." Another 3 ships are on order.^[2]

Versions

Mk1

Original production version with total of three built by Lung Teh Shipbuiling Co.^[3]

Mk2

Next production version with another three built by Propmech Corp. This version is 2 m longer than the Mk1 and is differentiated by the different shape of its Pilot House and the location of the 3 machine guns.^[4]

Mk3

Planned next production build. On March 2015, the Department of National Defense (DND) opened an invitation to bid for a missile capable MPAC that can operate up to Sea State 5.^[5][6]

See also

• CB90

References