RIMPAC 2018 -- Philippine Navy

[dr demented]

During a speech given during the 120th anniversary celebration for the Philippine Navy, Navy FOIC Vice Adm. Robert Empedrad announced that the PN will be sending 2 ships, plus one AW109 helicopter, and 700 sailors to the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2018 exercises in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Empedrad's comments did not specify which ships would be participating. However, there has been speculation that it would involve 1 Gregorio del Pilar class frigate and 1 Tarlac class LPD.

30 nations are scheduled to participate in the exercises which will take place in July.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRdWrXK7N6I&feature=youtu.be

[dr demented]

More details on Vice Adm. Empedrad's speech.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/05/22/pn-slowly-regaining-maritime-character-by-becoming-strong-and-credible-says-empedrad/

PN slowly regaining maritime character by becoming strong and credible, says Empedrad

Published May 22, 2018, 6:06 PM

By Francis Wakefield

Navy Chief Vice Admiral Robert A. Empedrad today expressed belief that the Philippine Navy (PN) is slowly regaining its maritime character by becoming a strong and credible navy that our maritime nation, Philippines will be proud of by the year 2020.

Empedrad made the remark in a speech he delivered during the Philippine Navy’s 120th founding anniversary held at the Coconut Palace, CCP Complex, Pasay City.

No less than President Duterte, the Armed Forces’ commander in chief, was the guest of honor and speaker.

Also present were Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, AFP chief of staff General Carlito Galvez Jr., members of the Cabinet and other key officials of the AFP.

“Be that as it may, we are still too far behind compared to other navies in the region. But with the strongest support of our beloved President, the Secretary of National Defense and our political leaders, our dream will soon become a reality,” Empedrad said.

Empedrad said it sad to note that through time, they have failed to sustain the strong maritime heritage of our forefathers, let alone lose it. This has impacted the condition of our Navy today.

“After the war, the Philippine Navy is one of the most powerful navies in the Asian Region. However, six decades later, we are one of the weakest even in Southeast Asian region. Maritime nations like Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and even Vietnam and Myanmar have upgraded their naval capability while the Philippine Navy went to obsolescence,” Empedrad said.

Empedrad said he firmly believes that we are supposed to be a big maritime nation having the 5th longest coastline in the world two times longer than that of the United States.

“We have more than 7,100 islands, the third most in the world, and our vast maritime waters has an area seven times that of the country’s land area. But most importantly, we are the Number 2 seafarer-producing country in the world next to China,” Empedrad said.

The Navy chief said our national interest therefore is not only limited through our maritime waters but extends globally.

“The West Philippine Sea and the Sulu Sea are two of the busiest and most important commercial sea lanes in the world. In times of disasters and calamities island municipalities are only accessible through waters. Yet, today we failed to harness the sea power potential of our country let alone upgrade the Navy’s capability and to protect our national interest,” Empedrad said.

Empedrad said that to regain its maritime character as a nation, the Philippine Navy has upgraded its Naval assets in recent months.

He said two months ago, the Philippine Navy received the last three of the five TC-90 aircraft from Japan Maritime Self Defense Force. He said these aircraft upgrades the Navy’s capability in HADR, Search and Rescue Operations and Surveillance Capability.

The aircraft has longer range that can effectively cover our vast maritime waters in support to our monitoring stations.

A month ago, the very first missile capability of the Philippine Navy was acquired from Israel.

“These will be integrated onboard the Navy’s Multi-Purpose Attack Craft (MPAC). The system will be fully operational in July,” Empedrad said.

“The Pohang Corvette from Republic of Korea maybe delivered by the third quarter of this year. The two anti-submarine warfare helicopters with torpedoes will be operational by May next year and finally, the two missile frigates will be delivered in 2020,” he added.

Two ships off to Hawaii

Empedrad said that in july, the Navy will be sending two ships and one Augusta Westland with 700 sailors and marines onboard for the very first time to participate in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise 2018 in Honolulu, Hawaii to be participated in by 30 other countries.

Empedrad said with its enduring theme, “Protecting the Seas, Securing Our Future,” the celebration was highlighted by a capability demonstration on amphibious operations, counter-terrorism and hostage rescue by the Naval Special Operations Group and the Marines Special Operations Group.

The celebration was capped by a Fleet Review of vessels and Fly By of naval fixed and rotary aircraft including the recently acquired TC-90s. The last fleet review conducted was in 1998.

Part of the program also honored outstanding Philippine Navy units, officers and enlisted personnel for serving with honor and excellence enabling the navy to better accomplish its mission.

[sirius]

During a speech given during the 120th anniversary celebration for the Philippine Navy, Navy FOIC Vice Adm. Robert Empedrad announced that the PN will be sending 2 ships, plus one AW109 helicopter, and 700 sailors to the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2018 exercises in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Empedrad's comments did not specify which ships would be participating. However, there has been speculation that it would involve 1 Gregorio del Pilar class frigate and 1 Tarlac class LPD.

30 nations are scheduled to participate in the exercises which will take place in July.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRdWrXK7N6I&feature=youtu.be

If it's going to be 1 Gregorio del Pilar class and 1 Tarlac class, will the Tarlac class be going without any helicopters, since only one AW109 was mentioned?

[adroth]

It actually makes sense for the helicopter to be embarked on the Tarlac. Larger hanger facilities.

[dr demented]

The Philippine Navy contingent for RIMPAC 2018 will depart the first week of June.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1036584

PH to deploy ships, helicopter in 'world's biggest maritime war games

By Priam Nepomuceno May 27, 2018, 9:51 am

MANILA -- For the first time, the Philippine Navy (PN) will deploy two ships and a helicopter to participate in this year "Rim of the Pacific Exercise" (RIMPAC) that will be held off Hawaii.

The maneuvers are considered the world's largest international maritime war games and is led by the US Navy's Pacific Fleet.

Navy spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna, in a text message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Saturday, said the PN will deploy one landing dock, one frigate, and one AW-109 helicopter for RIMPAC.

Lincuna, however, declined to identify the participating ships for security reasons but said these vessels and their crew will leave for Hawaii first week of June.

Some 30 navies are expected to participate in this year's RIMPAC, which is usually scheduled for June and July and held every two years.

The naval exercises seek to enhance inter-operability among Pacific Rim armed forces.

Earlier, PN flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad said the Philippines will deploy 700 sailors and marines for RIMPAC 2018. (PNA)

[dr demented]

http://www.pacom.mil/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/1535723/us-navy-announces-26th-rim-of-the-pacific-exercise/

U.S. Navy Announces 26th Rim of the Pacific Exercise
| U.S. 3rd Fleet Public Affairs | May 30, 2018

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Twenty-six nations, 47 surface ships, five submarines, 18 national land forces, and more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel will participate in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise scheduled June 27 to Aug. 2, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

As the world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity designed to foster and sustain cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's interconnected oceans. RIMPAC 2018 is the 26th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

The theme of RIMPAC 2018 is "Capable, Adaptive, Partners." Participating nations and forces will exercise a wide range of capabilities and demonstrate the inherent flexibility of maritime forces. These capabilities range from disaster relief and maritime security operations to sea control and complex warfighting. The relevant, realistic training program includes amphibious operations, gunnery, missile, anti-submarine and air defense exercises, as well as counter-piracy operations, mine clearance operations, explosive ordnance disposal, and diving and salvage operations.

This year's exercise includes forces from Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam.

This is the first time Brazil, Israel, Sri Lanka and Vietnam are participating in RIMPAC. Additional firsts include New Zealand serving as sea combat commander and Chile serving as combined force maritime component commander. This is the first time a non-founding RIMPAC nation (Chile) will hold a component commander leadership position. This year will also feature live firing of a Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) from a U.S. Air Force aircraft, surface to ship missiles by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and a Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from a launcher on the back of a Palletized Load System (PLS) by the U.S. Army. This marks the first time a land based unit will participate in the live fire event during RIMPAC. RIMPAC 18 will also include international band engagements and highlight fleet innovation during an Innovation Fair.

Additionally, for the first time since RIMPAC 2002, U.S. 3rd Fleet's Command Center will relocate from San Diego to Pearl Harbor to support command and control of all 3rd Fleet forces in 3rd Fleet's area of responsibility to include forces operating forward in the Western Pacific. The Fleet Command Center will be established at a deployable joint command and control on Hospital Point for the first part of the exercise and then transition to USS Portland (LPD 27) for the remainder of the exercise.

Hosted by Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, RIMPAC 2018 will be led by Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, Vice Adm. John D. Alexander, who will serve as combined task force (CTF) commander. Royal Canadian Navy Rear Adm. Bob Auchterlonie will serve as CTF deputy commander, and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Rear Adm. Hideyuki Oban as CTF vice commander. Fleet Marine Force will be led by U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Mark Hashimoto. Other key leaders of the multinational force will include Commodore Pablo Niemann of Armada de Chile, who will command the maritime component, and Air Commodore Craig Heap of the Royal Australian Air Force, who will command the air component.

This robust constellation of allies and partners support sustained and favorable regional balances of power that safeguard security, prosperity and the free and open international order. RIMPAC 2018 contributes to the increased lethality, resiliency and agility needed by the joint and combined force to deter and defeat aggression by major powers across all domains and levels of conflict. 

[dr demented]

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1037274

PH Navy contingent for RIMPAC to sail for Hawaii June 6

By Priam Nepomuceno June 2, 2018, 8:59 am

MANILA -- The Philippine Navy (PN) contingent for this year's "Rim of the Pacific" (RIMPAC) naval exercises will leave for Hawaii on Wednesday.

Two Navy ships, the strategic sealift vessel BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602) and frigate BRP Andres Bonifacio (FF-17), along with its AgustaWestland AW-109 naval helicopter, will join RIMPAC 2018 scheduled from June 27 to August 2.

Navy Spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna, in a statement Friday, said these assets will be joined by a Naval Special Operations Group team and a Marine company.

The Filipino ships and their crew will deploy from Cebu on their way to the Hawaiian training area. The Navy contingent already left Pier 13, Manila South Harbor for Cebu on Friday morning.

The contingent, now called the Naval Task Force (NTF) RIMPAC, will be commanded by Capt. Ernesto Baldovino, while the mission head will be Commodore Toribio Adaci.

Lincuna said NTF RIMPAC will be further complemented by components of the Civil Military Operations, and students from various PN training schools, among others.

RIMPAC 2018, the 26th exercise in the series that began in 1971, carries the theme, "Capable, Adaptive, Partners”.

This is the second International Defense and Security Engagement that the PN will participate in this year. The first was during the Multinational Exercise Komodo 2018 in Indonesia early May.

A Royal Malaysian Navy ship will join NTF RIMPAC as it sails from Cebu and will link up with the Indonesian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and Royal Australian Navy along the way for the ASEAN++ Group Sail en route to RIMPAC 2018.

"The PN’s participation in this undertaking is expected to advance its maritime operational capability to multilateral levels, thereby increasing readiness and interoperability and enabling the nation’s premiere maritime force to be more effective and efficient in the conduct of its mandated task," Lincuna said. (PNA)

[dr demented]

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1037315

RIMPAC to make PH Navy more efficient, effective

By Priam Nepomuceno June 3, 2018, 10:10 am

MANILA -- The Philippine Navy’s (PN) participation in this year's Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval drills in Hawaii will greatly enhance its operational capability, making it more efficient and effective in its mandated task.

"The PN’s participation in this undertaking is expected to advance its maritime operational capability to multilateral level, thereby increasing readiness and interoperability and enabling the nation’s premiere maritime force to be more effective and efficient in the conduct of its mandated task," Navy spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna said in statement over the weekend.

Two Navy ships, the strategic sealift vessel BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602) and frigate BRP Andres Bonifacio (FF-17), along with its Agusta Westland AW-109 naval helicopter, will participate in RIMPAC 2018 on June 27 to August 2.

These assets, along with an estimated 700 sailors and marines, are expected to depart from Cebu to the Hawaiian training area by June 6.

The RIMPAC maneuvers, considered to be the world's largest international maritime war games, are led by the US Navy's Pacific Fleet. Its theme this year is "Capable, Adaptive, Partners”.

Lincuna said this is the first time the PN will be deploying naval and air assets to RIMPAC.

"In the past years, we were active and regularly sending participants as observers for the RIMPAC but this time it will be the first that we will be sending our ships (Tarlac-class and Del Pillar-class) and aircraft (AW-109) and around 700 sailors and marines," he added. (PNA)

[adroth]

From: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rpdefense/permalink/1683970421688798/

RIMPAC 2018| Fleet Training and Doctrine Center (FTDC) of the Philippine Fleet oversaw the conduct of the Special Operational Readiness Evaluation (ORE) onboard BRP Davao Del Sur (LD602) and BRP Andres Bonifacio (FF17) to ensure the operational readiness of the ships and crew as it prepares for its International Defense and Security Engagement (IDSE) in Hawaii.

[Ayoshi]

RIMPAC 2018: Malaysia, Philippine navies set-off on group sail towards Hawaii | Janes - 06 June 2018

The delegation comprises of the Royal Malaysian Navy’s second Lekiu-class frigate KD Lekiu (30), the Philippine Navy’s Tarlac-class strategic support ship BRP Davao del Sur (LD 602), and the latter’s third Del Pilar-class frigate BRP Andres Bonifacio (17).

[adroth]

Damage control discussions have been moved to the Damage Control thread

http://defenseph.net/drp/index.php?topic=623.msg11314#msg11314

[adroth]

RIMPAC 2018 UPDATE|

https://www.facebook.com/philippinenavy/posts/10155734703987956

Staying clear of Tropical Storm “Domeng,” the Philippine Navy contingent, Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas (BRP) DAVAO DEL SUR (LD 602) and BRP ANDRES BONIFACIO (FF 17), together with the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) ship KD LEKIU sails for the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2018, the world’s largest international naval exercise.

The embarked Augusta Westland (AW-109) naval helicopter captured the Philippine Navy and RMN vessels as it performed naval maneuvers and communications exercises while underway near Fais Island, Ulithi Atoll in the eastern Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean as it sails en route to RIMPAC 2018 exercise.

BRP DAVAO DEL SUR (LD 602) ably managed to perform flight deck operations and photo exercise (PHOTEX) with BRP ANDRES BONIFACIO (FF17) and RMN’s KD LEKIU.

KD LEKIU earlier called on the port of Cebu and sailed with the Philippine Navy contingent when it left the Philippines last 06 June 2018. The flotilla will have a brief stopover at Kwajalein Atoll and will rendezvous with navies from Indonesia, Japan and India for a group sail enroute to Honolulu, Hawaii. The ships are expected to arrive in Hawaii on 25 June 2018. The RIMPAC will be from 27 June to 02 August 2018.


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[adroth]

From: https://www.facebook.com/BritComMil/photos/a.1823461651025349.1073744364.510006605704200/1849858651718982/?type=3&theater&ifg=1

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)'s Formidable-class frigate RSS Tenacious participated in a Multinational Group Sail with partner navies from ASEAN and beyond the region from 22 to 24 June 2018 (Singapore time). Warships from the RSN, Indian Navy (IN), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Philippine Navy (PN) and United States Navy (USN) sailed from the waters off Guam to Hawaii to participate in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (Ex RIMPAC).

[adroth]

From: https://www.facebook.com/BritComMil/photos/a.1823461651025349.1073744364.510006605704200/1849909148380599/?type=3&theater&ifg=1

USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) joins JS Ise (DDH 182), RSS Tenacious (71), INS Sahyadri (F49), BRP Davao Del Sur (LD602) and BRP Andres Bonifacio (FF 17) for a group sail in the Pacific, June 23.

[dr demented]

The Philippine Navy contingent to RIMPAC 2018 is now near Johnston Atoll, 750 nautical miles southwest of Hawaii.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1039318

RIMPAC-bound PH ships join formation exercise

By Priam Nepomuceno June 25, 2018, 11:23 am

MANILA -- Philippine Navy (PN) ships, strategic sealift vessel BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602) and frigate BRP Andres Bonifacio (FF-17), took part in a formation exercise with other "Rim of the Pacific" (RIMPAC)-bound vessels as it was passing through Johnson Atoll while headed to Hawaii.

Cmdr. Jonathan Zata, PN spokesperson, said the formation exercise took place Sunday morning.

Other participants in the exercise were Japan's helicopter destroyer JS Ise (DDH-182), India's Shivalik-class stealth frigate, the INS Sahyadri (F-19), the American Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, USS William P. Lawrence, and Singapore's Formidable-class stealth frigate, RSS Tenacious (71).

He added that the ships took part in a series of formation exercises, which include the diamond, abreast, and line-abreast formations and conducted a communication exercise to ensure the success of the former drills.

Zata said that the naval vessels are expected to arrive in Hawaii by June 26. This year's RIMPAC is supposed to start June 27 and end on August 2.

Aside from the two ships, the PN is also deploying an AgustaWestland AW-109 naval helicopter and 700 sailors and marines. The PN contingent is commanded by Capt. Ernesto Baldovino while mission head is Commodore Toribio Adaci.

"With the vigorous support from the government and its stakeholders through the modernization program, the PN now has the capability to send a contingent to RIMPAC 2018 thus, further fulfilling its diplomatic role in keeping peace and stability in the region," Zata added. (PNA)