BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PS-15) - ex-USCGC Hamilton (WHEC-715)

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Facebook groups

BRP Gregorio S Del Pilar FF-15: https://www.facebook.com/ff15pn/?ref=py_c
BRP Gregorio Del Pilar, PF 15, Phil.Navy: https://www.facebook.com/BRP-Gregorio-Del-Pilar-PF-15-PhilNavy-357227667662701/?ref=py_c


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13/05/2011: Philippine Navy Acquires Hamilton Cutter

http://www.philippineembassy-usa.org/news/1682/300/Philippine-Navy-Acquires-Hamilton-Cutter/d,phildet/

Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. (8th from the right) and Consul General Marciano A. Paynor, Jr. (8th from the left) together with Philippine Navy officers and crew aboard the newly-acquired vessel.The ship flying the Philippine flag.

Photo on left shows Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. (8th from the right) and Consul General Marciano A. Paynor, Jr. (8th from the left) together with Philippine Navy officers and crew aboard the newly-acquired vessel. Photo on right shows the ship flying the Philippine flag.

13 May 2011, Washington DC. Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia Jr. formally accepted the transfer today of a Hamilton class Cutter during formal ceremonies held in Alameda, California.  Ambassador Cuisia was accompanied at the ceremony by Consul General Marciano A. Paynor Jr., Captain Antonio A. Habulan of the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC, and Colonel Edwin Erni of the Philippine National Police Office in San Francisco.  Vice Admiral Manson Brown, Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area and Defense Force West, signed the transfer documents for the U.S. government.

In his remarks during the transfer ceremony, Ambassador Cuisia noted that the success of the project is an indication of the robust Philippine-U.S. partnership and serves as an expression of the U.S.’ commitment to help the Philippines protect its maritime domain.

The cutter will officially become the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, with Captain Alberto Cruz at the helm.  He is part of a group of eight officers and thirteen enlisted personnel from the Philippine Navy, who are currently undergoing training with the U.S. Coast Guard.

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Reserved for first photos

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The photographs below chronicle the transformation of the USCGC Hamilton (WHEC-715) into the BRP Gregorio del Pilar. The sun-and-stars was fully raised on 1418H May 13, 2011.

This is the second ship to bear this name. The previous bearer of the name, PF-8, was also a former US Coast Guard ship, the USCGC McCulloch (WHEC-386), a Barnegat class WHEC obtained from the former Republic of South Vietnam.

[Ayoshi]

Philippines - China Standoff near Scarborough Shoal, April 2012

Inquirer - April 11th, 2012

To protect the marine environment and resources in the Panatag Shoal and to assert Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights over the area as a responsible coastal state, the Philippine Navy deployed the BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15) from Palawan to Northern Luzon waters on the same day to conduct maritime patrol over the Shoal.

< snipped >

The navy vessel remained in the vicinity of the shoal for continuous monitoring of the fishing vessels, it added.

In the morning of April 10, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, in accordance with the established rules of engagement, dispatched a boarding team to inspect the fishing vessels and collect photos and other evidence of their catch.

< snipped >

It added that the BRP Gregorio del Pilar later reported that two Chinese maritime surveillance ships identified as Zhonggou Haijian 75 and Zhonggou Haijian 84 managed to sail to the mouth of the shoal, placing themselves between PF-15 and the eight Chinese fishing vessels, thus preventing the arrest of the Chinese fishermen.

Filipino soldiers board a Chinese fishing vessel loaded with giant clam shells, corals and live sharks. Contributed Photo From Nolcom (via inquirer.net)

[Ayoshi]

2013

BRP Gregorio del Pilar's main gun tested | philstar - July 31, 2013

Navy spokesman Lieutenant Commander Gregory Fabic said the test fire of the ship’s 76 mm Oto Melara gun was held off the coast of Olongapo to avoid inflicting damage to fishing vessels.

Fabic, however, clarified that that the test fire was not a ‘show of force’ against China, which has been boosting its maritime presence in the region.

“All the ships of the Philippine Navy conduct test firing once in a while,” he said.

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Fabic said a balloon known as “killer tomato” served as the vessel’s target. The target was placed two nautical miles from the ship.

“The target was hit after five rounds. No assessment will be made since the target was hit so it’s very effective,” Fabic told reporters on Wednesday.

The test fire was held in Zambales since BRP del Pilar was in Subic in preparation for the arrival of BRP Ramon Alcaraz, another vessel acquired from the US, on Friday.

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2014


A member of the Philippine Navy demonstrates one of the guns on board the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF15) warship at Manila's pier, Philippines Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. The refurbished former U.S. Coast Guard Hamilton-class weather high endurance cutter is now the country's biggest and most modern warship and is part of a drive by the Philippines to modernize its navy amid tensions with China over the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Inside BRP Gregoryo Del Pilar (2014)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p4v_A4WEAU

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2015

PN Frigate BRP Gregorio Del Pilar PF-15 While Underway with an AW-109 Naval Helicopter Landing on it's Flight Deck

Photo: Modernize the PN FB Page

US President Barack Obama visits PH Navy flagship, Nov. 2015 


Photo: voanews.com

YouTube Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZr7LvqJOyM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8rlxXae6Rk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kya923Js3-s

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Before the turn over ceremony

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NOTICE TO MARINERS NUMBER 078-2016

http://www.coastguard.gov.ph/index.php/notice-to-mariners/notam-2016/august-2016/1314-notice-to-mariners-number-078-2016

1. Reference: Philippine Navy Radio Message Cite NOCB-0816-046.

2. The Philippine Navy vessels with Bow Nr. FF15, FF11 and PS20 will conduct Gunnery Exercise at vicinity 14 nautical miles Southwest off Luzon, Mariveles, Bataan on August 25 to 26, 2016 bounded by the following coordinates:

Point A   Latitude   14 degs  21.00  mins North
    Longitude   120 degs  16.00  mins East

Point B   Latitude   14 degs  15.00  mins North
    Longitude   120 degs  16.00  mins East

Point C   Latitude   14 degs  15.00  mins North
    Longitude   120 degs  10.00  mins East

Point D   Latitude   14 degs  21.00  mins North
    Longitude   120 degs  10.00  mins East

3. In this connection, all ships/watercrafts transiting the vicinity of the abovementioned areas are advised to take note of the information and take necessary precautionary measures at all times.

4. The cooperation of all concerned in effecting widest dissemination of this information is requested.

[40niner]

Some changes on the navigational radar set of BRP Gregorio del Pilar :

Right Photo : Our (historical) photo references for her radar fit during her arrival and when ...... she eventually did had that (subtle) upgrade.  A Dec 2014 media tour video by VJNorz already had that upgrade.

Left Photo was from Inquirer.Net -- during the APEC / Obama's visit on her last Nov 2015.

Take note of the larger S-band now on top of the mast, and the X-band on the lower, but forward mount.

[LionFlyer]

MK 38 Mod 3 for the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (FF-15). Contract dated 29 October 2015. Delivery date by April 2017. Should see this installed later this year.

BAE Systems Land and Armaments LP, Armament Systems Division, Louisville, Kentucky, is being awarded a $30,556,246 firm-fixed-price contract for fiscal 2015 production of the MK 38 mod 3 machine gun system (MGS).  This contract is to fulfill specified requirements and technical performance requirements for the MK38 mod 3 25mm MGS ordnance alteration and provide additional spare parts.
.......
This contract combines purchases for the U.S. government (93.76 percent); and the government of the Philippines (6.24 percent).  Work will be performed in Haifa, Israel (67 percent); and Louisville, Kentucky (33 percent), and is expected to complete in April 2017.
.......

https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/626594

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FF15 deployed to Pagasa Island for SND Lorenzana's visit

[dr demented]

BRP Gregorio del Pilar has been relieved from its West Philippine Sea patrol assignments by BRP Andres Bonifacio. 

The del Pilar will be returning to Subic for its Continuous Maintenance Availability.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/navalforceswest/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1320953867959477

[dr demented]

Something to watch for.........

Perhaps this might be a part of the BRP Gregorio del Pilar's Continuous Maintenance Availability.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/959765/

(taken from the US Department of Defense contract page -- awarded September 29, 2016)

BAE Systems Land & Armaments LP, Armament Systems Division, Louisville, Kentucky, is being awarded a $25,427,512 firm-fixed-price supply contract for the fiscal 2016 production of the MK 38 MOD 3 Machine Gun System (MGS).   This contract is to fulfill specified requirements and technical performance requirements for the MK38 MOD3 25mm Machine Gun System ordnance alteration and provide additional spare parts.  The MGS produced is derived from application of an ordnance alteration to the MK 38 MOD 1 25mm MGS.  Once installed, version incorporates two-axis stabilization, an improved Electro-Optical Sight System, improved Multi-Function Display, modified Main Control Panel, a new Main Computing Unit, a 7.62mm machine gun and remote control operation.  This contract combines purchases for the Navy (84 percent); and the governments of the Philippines (8 percent); and Jordan (8 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program.  Work will be performed Hafia, Israel (67 percent); and Louisville, Kentucky (33 percent), and is expected to be completed by May 2018. Fiscal 2016 weapons procurement (Navy); foreign military sales; and fiscal 2015 weapons procurement (Coast Guard) funding in the amount of $25,427,512 will be obligated at the time of award.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.  The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00174-16-C-0053).

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From: https://www.facebook.com/ff15pn/posts/793502037480080

 The Philippine National Flag was proudly flown during the 6th Western Pacific Naval Symposium Multilateral Sea Exercise (WMSX).

This 6th WMSX, hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), will be participated by ten (10) naval warships of various countries to include Malaysia, Vietnam, France, Canada, Japan, South Korea, US and Philippines. Singapore will be leading the said sea exercise.

WMSX event was set from May 11 to 13, 2017 which aimed to promote procedural interoperability and enhance mutual understanding among warships of WPNS members by practicing the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), among others.

Likewise, RSN ship RSS Stalwart was the WMSX Group 2 facilitator. Participating ships were grouped into two Surface Action Groups (SAG) with the Philippines’ FF15 belonging to SAG 2 under the auspices of Canadian’s HMCS Ottawa.

This segment of the RSN Golden Jubilee Celebration featured Publication Exercise (PUBEX); FLAGHOIST Exercise; Screen exercise (SCREENEX); Flashing Light Exercise (FLASHEX); and Photo Exercises (PHOTOEX).

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