The Philippine Fleet (PF) announced Tuesday it has deployed offshore patrol vessel BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16) to the operational area of Naval Forces Central (NFC) this September 18.
Lt. Giovanni Badidles, PF spokesperson, said the Offshore Combat Force (OCF) under Commodore Edward Ike De Sagon ordered the deployment of the ship and its crew to NFC’s operational area, which covers the maritime areas of the Visayas Region.
“This deployment came after the completion of the dry docking and other related repairs [DDORR] of PS-16, which the OCF commander described in his remarks ‘as the culmination of one phase and the beginning of another—the responsibility to preserve the integrity of our territories and protect the country’s maritime interests,’” he added.
Badidles said the deployment also fulfills the PF’s mission of deploying capable assets and trained personnel to various areas of operations to maintain naval presence and maritime security.
“It also represents the Navy’s resolve to uphold territorial integrity, safe and secure seas, and regional stability,” he added.
The BRP Ramon Alcaraz, the ex-US Coast Guard (USCG) cutter USS Dallas, is a high endurance cutter commissioned in 1967 at the Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans.
She was the sixth ship or boat to bear the name of Alexander J. Dallas, the Secretary of the Treasury under President James Madison (1814–1816).
The ship is one of 12 Hamilton-class cutters built for the USCG.
It weighs 3,250 tons, has a length of 378 feet, beam of 43 feet, and draft of 15 feet.
Its propulsion systems consist of two diesel engines and two gas turbine engines, giving it a top speed of 29 knots.
The ship has a cruising range of 14,000 miles and has a sea and loiter time of 45 days.
It has a complement of 167 officers and men and is armed with a 76mm Oto Melara main gun cannon, a Mark 38 “Bushmaster” auto cannon, and numerous .50 caliber machine guns.
