BRP Diego Silang (PF-9)

The BRP "Diego Silang" (PF-9) was a frigate of the Philippine Navy that served from 1976 to 1985. She is part of six ex-USN "Barnegat" class Small Seaplane Tender / ex-USCG "Casco" class Weather High Endurance Cutter received from the United States after the Vietnam War. Together with her 3 other sisterships, they were the mainstay as the largest Philippine Navy ships of her time.

She was decommissioned in June 1985, and some of her usable parts were made available for BRP "Andres Bonifacio" (PF-7)

History

This ship originally served in the US Navy as the USS Bering Strait (AVP-34). After transfer to the Republic of Vietnam Navy, she fled to the Philippines during the fall of South Vietnam. She was formally transferred to the Philippines on 5 April 1976, and commissioned into the Philippine Navy as frigate RPS (later BRP) "Diego Silang". She served the Philippine Navy until she was decommissioned in June 1985. ["NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive. [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/43/4334.htm USS Bering Strait (AVP-34)] .]

Technical details

The single Mk12 5"/38 caliber gun is the ships' primary weapons. It is mounted in a Mk30 Mod0 enclosed base ring and has a range of up to convert|18200|yd|m yards. This gun is a dual purpose type, and is also capable of anti-aircraft warfare. Originally the ship carried four Mk12 5"/38 guns, but modifications made by the US and Philippine navies needed the removal of the other three units. The most obvious alteration is the aft helideck added in 1979 by the Philippine Navy in cooperation with Hatch & Kirk, Inc. [ "Philippine Naval Forces News Bulletin [http://www.geocities.com/pentagon/barracks/7248/navy2.htm Naval News Bulletin # 1] .]

In addition to its primary gun, she also carry a total of two twin Mk1 Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns, four Mk4 single 20 mm Oerlikon cannons, and four 50 caliber general purpose machine guns. ["DLSU N-ROTC Office. [http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/offices/sps/rotc/pdf/ms2/namingPNships.pdf Naming and Code Designation of PN Vessels] .]

Plans were made to upgrade and equip the entire ship class with new radar systems and the BGM-84 Harpoon long range SSMs, but this did not materialize due to the worsening political and economic crisis in the mid 1980s. ["Harpoon Database Encyclopedia [http://www.harpoondatabases.com/Encyclopedia/Entry1757.aspx AVP-10 Barnegat class] ]

The ship is powered by two Fairbanks-Morse 38D diesel engines with a combined power of around 6,200 bhp driving two propellers. The main engines can propel the 1,766 ton (standard load) ship at a maximum speed of around convert|18|kn|km/h|0. It has a maximum range of convert|8000|nmi|km|-1 at an economical speed of convert|15.6|kn|km/h|0. ["DLSU N-ROTC Office. [http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/offices/sps/rotc/pdf/ms2/namingPNships.pdf Naming and Code Designation of PN Vessels] .]

The helideck at the aft portion can carry a MBB Bo 105C helicopter used by the Philippine Navy for utility, scout, and maritime patrol purposes.

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://www.navy.mil.ph Philippine Navy Official website]
* [http://philfleet.mil.ph/ships.htm Philippine Fleet Official Website]
* [http://timawa.net/forum Philippine Defense Forum]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/43/4324.htm NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive]
* [http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/asiapac/philip.htm Hazegray World Navies Today: Philippines]
* [http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/offices/sps/rotc/pdf/ms2/namingPNships.pdf Naming and Code Designation of PN Ships]