Potential Affordable Offshore Patrol Vessel For The Philippine Navy

As the European navies upgrade their fleets, various warships are being made available for sale. This situation provides opportunities to the Philippine Navy as these ships are of newer design and manufacture compared to the majority of the PN's ships. As these ships are already paid up in the European navies, the price levels are more affordable than newly built warships. 

On the downside, repairs and modifications are necessary before such ships are recommissioned to the PN, and maintenance costs will be higher as compared to new warships. This makes a very capable Naval Shipyard a necessity in economically utilizing these surplus ships from the European Navies. Overall, these surplus ships will provide the Philippine Navy the most affordable and fastest way of enhancing its capabilities to provide a credible naval defense to protect our territorial and Exclusive Economic Zone waters.

Emer Class, Ireland Naval Service

The Emer class is an Offshore Patrol Vessel of the Irish Naval service. It has a standard displacement of 1,019.5 tonnes with a length of 65.2 meters and a beam of 10.5 meters. The class was based on the experience of the sole ship Deirdre class commissioned in 1972. The first-of-class Emer was ordered in 1975 and commissioned in 1978. After LE Emer, LE Aoife followed in 1979, and  LE Aisling in 1980. The funding for these ships came from the EU.

Compared with the Deirdre class, the Emer class was given more engine power, better crew accommodation and improved silencing.

Emer Class, Aisling P23 broadside

The Emer class has a designed maximum speed of 17 knots with a complement: of 5 officers and 41 ratings.

The armaments carried by each ship of the Emer class are one 40 mm Bofors L40/70 gun, two 20mm Rheinemetall RH202, and 7.62mm MAG58.

Emer Class, Aisling P23 1020tn65m17k Ireland 26May011

These vessel has been modernised throughout their service life in order to take advantage of new technologies and to make life for the crew more comfortable; additions include air conditioning.

Emer Class, Aisling P23 high seas

LE Deirdre was decommissioned in 2001 and sold for 190,000 Euros. She was later converted into a luxury yacht.

LÉ Emer (P21) was decommissioned on 20 September 2013. Cork Auctioneer Dominic Daly is to sell the Navy Vessel LE Emer (P21) in early October 2013. A year later the sister ship LE Aoife (P22) will also go on the market.

Emer Class, LE Emer P21, 19Oct07

The Emer class is an excelent OPV given its long range and appropriately armed for its role.

Emer Class, Aisling P23 broadside

Possible upgrades for the class are

1. Close In Weapons System like the Ukrainian Katran-M
2. USV for sensors, decoy and small weapons
3. mini VTOL UAV that can be locally manufactured
4. Oto Melara 76mm main gun
5. ALAS SSM

The LÉ Aoife P22 will be decommissioned in 2014 and will be available for possible Philippine Navy acquisition.

LE_AOIFE Brest 2011-05-13 by ©Michel Floch

LÉ Aoife 65 meter long, range of 6750 NM @ 12k with 46 crew and 5 Officers

Bridge

Command suite

Captain's office

Conference room

Living area

Mess hall

Engine controlroom

Engine room

Bow gun

Irish LÉ Aoife P22  (65 meter, 1020tonne, 6750 N.M.@12 knots, 46 crew 5 Officers - ©Michel Floch

The Irish Offshore Patrol Vessel LÉ Aoife P22, 65 meter long, 1020tonne displacement, range of 6750 N.M.@12 knots, with 46 crewmembers and 5 Officers, is one of the most cost effective alternative for the Philippine Navy to speedily enhance its capabilities.

Hamilton Class As Multi Purpose Support Vessels For The Philippine Navy

The Philippine Navy is in the process of acquiring 2 brand new Strategic Sealift Vessels valued at P4 billion. This is an expensive and long-term process.

Hamilton class overview WHEC-719 (USCG Photo)

A faster and cheaper alternative is to buy more Hamilton class ships from the U.S. A crucial bonus is the additional deterrence capabilities of the 76mm Oto Melaras. This alternative will develop and enhance the Naval Shipyard and local shipyards capabilities, and lead to more fleet uniformity resulting in maintenance efficiencies. Also, the initial annual cash outlays will be much lower and extended over a longer time period.

Though it will be able to carry less cargo, with an older but still maintainable platform and with higher maintenance cost, these Hamilton class vessels after some modifications, can be excellent Multi Purpose Support Vessels.

This can be similar to the concept of the Absalon class of the Denmark Navy that is specially designed as a Multi Purpose Support Vessel from the beginning but very expensive. The Hamilton class alternative is way much cheaper by a large magnitude and will have maybe just 60% of its capabilities. And it's what we can afford given the catching up we have to do on multiple fronts after more than 20 years of negligence on our defense posture.

Danish Navy HDMS Absalon (L16) Command and Support Ship (MilitaryFactory.com)

Based on a US Congressional Research Service report dated July 2013, there will be "decommissioning of two cutters in fiscal year 2014." That will be three in addition to the USCG Gallatin by 2014, a much faster pace than two new SSV's with no contract yet. This 3 more Hamilton class vessels is feasible given the moves of the US for more access to bases in the Philippines.

PN can possibly have 3 Hamilton class cutters as Multi Purpose Support Vessels for P2 billion already modified, based on the costing of the 2 PF's acquired. That leaves P2 billion for the uparming of the 2 PF's. The net result is having 2 Frigates supported by 3 MPSV's instead of just 2 new SSV's.

This can be implemented by the Naval Shipyard in cooperation with local shipyards and engineering companies by:

1. Utilizing the aft area helicopter deck and hangar for vehicles and heavy cargo, by installing a moveable ramp 

2. Removal of the turbine power train for more weight and volume capacity

3. Provision for 2 fiberglass LCVP's and/or MPAC's, or more, near the 2 RHIB cranes for ship to shore transport of troops, vehicles and cargo

4. Identify passenger accommodation areas throughout the ship

5. Additional heavy lift crane in the aft area for cargo handling

Hamilton class Rush WHEC-723 aft (USCG Photo)

The Navy should concentrate on Capable Low-Cost Immediate solutions that will immediately increase its capabilities, not on expensive, new and medium/long term solutions. We have to stand up our own strong independent posture yesterday and not depend on foreign powers that degrade our Independence and Sovereignty.

Hamilton class PF-16 BRP Alcaraz (Roy Van Morales Photo)

Hamilton class modifications as Multi Purpose Support Vessel
(modifications by DefTechPH)

Spending P2 billion to get 3 additional Hamilton class vessels to convert to Multi Purpose Support Vessels will leave a balance of P2 billion to upgrade the defensive capabilities of the 2 Hamilton class vessels used as Patrol Frigates. This may be used for ASM, SAM and torpedoes to insure survival in a wartime scenario. The MPSV's can be uparmed later with better defensive weapons to support the PF versions.

Philippine Navy DE RPS Rajah Soliman (D-66) Sep. 1961 (Wikipedia)

This Multi Purpose Support Vessel concept is a return to the first destroyer of the Philippine Navy, the RPS Rajah Soliman (D-66) which was the former USS Bowers (DE-637). The Bowers was converted later, before transfer to the PN, to a Charles Lawrence-class high speed transport (APD) and was redesignated as APD-40.

As an APD, it was able to carry 12 Officers, and 150 Enlisted men; 4 LCVP's; 6 Jeeps; 2 1-ton trucks; 4 Ammunition carts; 4 Pack howitzers. Ammunition capacity is 6,000 cubic feet. General cargo capacity is 3,500 cubic feet. Gasoline capacity is 1,000 cubic feet. (http://destroyerhistory.org/de/apd/)

The Hamilton class vessels are more than twice as large as the Destroyer Escorts that were converted into APD (Auxiliary Personnel Destroyer) high speed transports. Hamilton class cutters are 3,250 tons and 115 meters long while the converted Destroyer Escorts are 1,400 tons and 93 meters long. The Hamilton class has better transport capability potential.

RPS Rajah Soliman D-66 ex-USS Bowers (APD-40)  (PN Photo, Phil. Herald - 11Feb1963, goriob2)

This is a better path for the Navy to stand up a credible naval defense FASTER and at a LOWER COST. The Philippines has to be wiser and better given its very much lower financial resources.