November 5, 2018, 12:10 pm. [21], On August 22, 2011, the United States Embassy in Manila posted on their Facebook account photos indicating that BRP Gregorio del Pilar had an in-stride training with USS Fitzgerald on their transit to Guam, which may have started around August 4, 2011. [3] Photos during the commissioning ceremonies confirmed the presence of such weapons. The ship's transfer cost was pegged at Php450 million, while operation costs for two years was estimated at Php120 million. MANILA -- Philippine Navy (PN) flagship BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (FF-15) will undergo various communications, weapons, and fire-control upgrades while undergoing repair for the damages sustained during her grounding at Hasa-Hasa (Half-Moon) Shoal last August 29. [43], Gregorio del Pilar, together with BRP Rajah Humabon participated in the sea phase exercises with the US Navy during the Balikatan 2013 from April 5 to 17, 2013. The PN flagship BRP Gregorio Del Pilar after running aground in the Spratly Islands August 2018 is still not repaired and will not be back at sea till the 2nd quarter of 2021. In 1996, Hamilton transited the Panama Canal and served as the command and control platform for Operation Frontier Shield, a multi-agency effort to curtail the influx of narcotics into the United States. These weapons will act as the ship’s secondary weapons. [30][31][32][33], BRP Gregorio del Pilar was also one of the naval vessels that the AFP Western Command sent to help in the searching efforts for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The Philippines Navy is set to carry out major upgrades on its Del Pilar-class lead ship, BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (FF-15). By Priam Nepomuceno The exercise includes patrol, simulated tracking of targets and interdiction and capped by live firing exercises. [19] The Philippine Navy installed a 25 mm chain gun, two 20 mm guns, and six mounted 50-caliber guns[2] as replacement for the equipment removed. In-Details: Upgrading the Del Pilar-class Frigates The Philippine Navy obtains three of these ex-United States Coast Guard cutters in the fleet with one on the shipyard for a hull repair and overhaul. They are currently equipped with 76-mm Oto Melara as their main gun. In 1999, Hamilton seized over 2,700 kilograms (6,000 lb) of cocaine bound for the U.S. in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. During a 1969–70 deployment to Vietnam, Hamilton interdicted weapons smugglers and fired more than 4,600 rounds of gunfire in support of U.S. and Vietnamese troops ashore. [28], President Aquino hoped that this, his first major military acquisition, would be a symbol of his administration's intention to strengthen and modernize the Philippine Navy and the Armed Forces, and to defend its territory and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea. The ship acquired was the former USCGC Hamilton (WHEC-715), renamed BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15) which was officially turned over to the Philippine Navy on 13 May 2011 at Alameda Point in California. Arsenio Andolong, DND spokesman, said the ships’ management system, electronic support and […] Plans are afoot to upgrade the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz to make them more capable in their maritime domain awareness mission. [10] The CIWS and chain guns were removed by the US Coast Guard prior to its turn-over to the Philippine Navy. Plans to install additional weapons were made, which includes one Mk. From 1965–1975, Hamilton served on Atlantic Ocean Stations, collecting valuable oceanographic data and conducting frequent search and rescue missions. [46], The ship, together with its sister ship BRP Ramon Alcaraz participated in joint naval maneuvers as part of CARAT 2014 Philippines from June 26 to July 1, 2014. 3 Gun Systems from 2 Contracts", "U.S. Green Lights FMS of AN/SPS-77 Sea Giraffe Radar for Philippines Navy Hamilton-class Cutters", "Coast Guard Makes Recort Maritime Cocaine Seizure", "US Coast Guard Transfers High Endurance Cutters, "Introducing: PHL Navy's cutter BRP 'Gregorio del Pilar, "Newest Philippine Navy Ship Gets Aloha Welcome", "Introducing: Philippine warship to stop in Hawaii before patrolling Spratly Islands", "Navy's fastest ship sails to new homeport", "President Aquino: Ship symbol of our defense", "Noy inaugurates 2 newly commissioned ships", "Benigno S. Aquino III, Second State of the Nation Address, July 25, 2011 (English translation)", "Philippines Asserts Sovereignty Over Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal)", "Philippines, China agree to resolve standoff", "Philippines Warns China in Naval Crisis", "PH joins SE Asia search for Malaysian plane", "Sea rows 'central issue' in Obama Asia visit", "Obama Hones Focus on Trade, Economy at APEC Summit", USCG Boutwell to be formally transferred to PN, to be renamed BRP Andres Bonifacio, "PHL Navy frigate ran aground in West Philippine Sea", "BRP Gregorio del Pilar removed from Hasa-Hasa shoal", "BRP Gregorio del Pilar towed out of Hasa-Hasa Shoal", "Anti-US group offers alternatives to defense agreements", "BRP Gregorio del Pilar & USS Fitzgerald Conduct Instride Training", "NAVAL FORCES NORTHERN LUZON CONDUCTS NAVAL EXERCISE", "Balikatan to make PN, USN more 'interoperable, "PHL Navy warship visits Lingayen,Pangasinan", "Phl, US troops to hold drills near Panatag | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star", Philippines and US to conduct CARAT 2014 near South China Sea, Commissioned ships of the Philippine Navy, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=BRP_Gregorio_del_Pilar_(PS-15)&oldid=991663973, Hamilton-class cutters of the Philippine Navy, Articles with dead external links from September 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 1 December 2020, at 05:43. 38 Mod. Several systems were acquired through US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and Foreign Military Financing (FMF), which includes the BAE Systems Mk. A South Korean defense manufacturer has won the contract to upgrade three Philippine Navy frigates, the Department of National Defense (DND) said on Friday. The ship was armed with a Mk.75 Oto Melara 76 mm Compact main gun, two Mk.38 M242 Bushmaster 25 mm chain gun at midships, and a Phalanx CIWS system aft. Before that, from 1968 to 2012, she was known as USCGC Dallas and served the United States Coast Guard as a high endurance cutter. [21] The arrival ceremony was held on August 23, 2011, and minor improvements were done the following days. 2 machine gun system, the SAAB AN/SPS-77 Sea Giraffe AMB 3D air/surface search radar,[16] and the FLIR Systems SeaFLIR 230 Electro-Optical/Infra-Red Camera. The ship now known as BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PS-15) was launched on December 18, 1965, at Avondale Shipyards near New Orleans, Louisiana, as USCGC Hamilton (WHEC-715) and was named for Alexander Hamilton the first United States Secretary of the Treasury and founder of the United States Revenue Cutter Service. Propellers and related underwater accessories will be shipped to the US for repairs. 38 Mod. Philippine Navy (PN) flagship BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (FF-15) will undergo various communications, weapons, and fire-control upgrades. 38 Mod 1 25 mm chain gun aft, two Mk.16 20 mm autocannons midships, and six 12.7 mm machine guns. Gregorio del Pilar conducted a test at the coast of California to measure the crew's capabilities and the ship's seaworthiness. [47], In May 2018, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar participated in the Third Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo 2018 held from May 8 to 9, 2018 in Lombok, Indonesia. USCGC Hamilton was decommissioned on March 28, 2011, and transferred to the Philippine Navy as an excess defense article under the Foreign Assistance Act. The ship has a flight deck and hangar capable of handling helicopters. While awaiting the completion of those repairs, she will undergo communications and weapon and fire control upgrades in order to optimize her down-time period," he added. Captain Alberto A. Cruz became its first commanding officer. Jump to page: One of the ship's two variable pitch propellers was damaged along with its propeller hub following its grounding off Hasa-Hasa Shoal in August 2018. Future upgrades are planned to install defensive and offensive missile systems and torpedo launchers, although funding is still being secured and might only be included in the next phase of the Navy's modernization program. In February 2019, the Navy downgraded the status of the entire class from frigate to patrol ship and redesignated her to "PS-15". Copyright 2020 Philippine News Agency. [21][22] She arrived on the Philippines on August 17, 2011[23] after port visit in Guam. Hamilton also directed the interdictions of over 21,000 Haitian migrants throughout the Caribbean during Operation Able Manner. FF Del Pilar-class. [44], The ship conducted an offshore visit at Lingayen, Pangasinan during the city's "Pistay Dayat 2013" ("Feast of the Sea 2013"), with an open house tour and rescue exhibition exercises performed by the crew. She was re-christened the BRP Gregorio del Pilar and is the spearhead of the country's presence in the disputed Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal. (PNA) — KBAPI. The ship was designed with a high level of habitability and provides fairly comfortable accommodations, including air conditioning. [8], In March 2007, Hamilton assisted Sherman in the largest recorded maritime drug bust in history. The two BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15) was acquired last May 2011 while its sister ship, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16), was bought from the Americans in May 2012. Seven of 12 Hamilton-class cutters were decommissioned from the US service since 2011. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use, PH Navy upgrades make waves amid pandemic, NPA, other terror groups’ capabilities ‘significantly degraded’, 2nd missile-frigate BRP Antonio Luna completes sea trials, Israel aid agency gives P500-K grant to Pinay exec, Fleet review, wing flyby shows AFP development: Gapay, AFP to highlight modern assets in 85th anniversary fleet review, BRP Antonio Luna out to sea for weapons, sensors trial: PH Navy, 68 ASG members killed, 128 surrender in 2020: AFP, US military donation to boost AFP anti-terror capabilities, Presidential Communications Operations Office. [8], Hamilton has served a variety of missions with distinction. The crew also visited the USS Arizona Memorial. [19], Its maiden voyage included a port visit to Hawaii and docking at Alameda, California to finish the remaining work, with around 13 separate contracting actions. BRP Gregorio Del Pilar was assigned to Naval Forces Western to help in a joint multinational disaster relief and response operations dubbed Operation Damayan after the Visayan Islands were struck by Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013. President Benigno Aquino III's elder sister, Ballsy Cruz, was the principal sponsor of the ship. This was confirmed by Navy spokesperson Commander Jonathan Zata when sought for an update on the ship on Monday. [17], Meanwhile, the Philippine Navy will launch a program to acquire, install and integrate several other sensors into the ship, as part of the Horizon 2 phase of the Revised AFP Modernization Program. BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PS-15) is the lead ship of her class of offshore patrol vessels of the Philippine Navy. 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