MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Navy is interested in acquiring a third decommissioned ex-U.S. Coast Guard Hamilton-class cutter to its existing two ships, BRP Gregorio Del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz. The Gregorio del Pilar was acquired in May 2011 via the U.S. Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program and was promptly put to sea where it faced off with Chinese fishing vessels and warships in a tense diplomatic and maritime standoff at the disputed Scarborough Shoal. The second cutter, Ramon Alcaraz, was also acquired via EDA and arrived in the Philippines on August 6, 2013. The only cost to the Philippines for the ships' acquisition was $25 million spent on refurbishing the vessels and bringing them up to readiness-level.
After previously considering the acquisition of a third ex-U.S. naval cutter and then dropping the plan, the Philippines has revisited that option and chosen to move forward on an acquisition according to Philippine Navy chief, Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano.
Recognizing the need for muscle to back up its claims in the South China Sea, the Philippine Navy hopes to increase its operational strength through the government's Armed Forces Modernization Program. The Navy has long been neglected financially while asked to do more operationally than its stretched capabilities could undertake. But China's muscle-flexing has created a greater urgency in Manila to address the Navy's shortcomings.
The overall modernization goal of the Navy is to have a force mix of six frigates, 12 corvettes, 18 offshore patrol vessels, three submarines, and three minehunters in place by 2017. The Navy is also interested in building its own radars rather than acquiring them from foreign vendors. As a result the so-called "Project Itaas" has been added to the Naval Research and Development Center's growing work portfolio.
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