BRP Dioscoro Papa (PC-381)

The BRP Dioscoro Papa (PC-381) is the eleventh ship of the Jose Andrada class coastal patrol boats of the Philippine Navy. It is part of the second batch of its class ordered through US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) in 1993, and was commissioned with the Philippine Navy on 1 June 1995.[3][4]

History
Philippines
Name: BRP Dioscoro Papa (PC-381)
Operator: Philippine Navy
Ordered: March 1993[1]
Builder: Trinity-Equitable Shipyards, New Orleans, USA
Acquired: 25 April 1995[2]
Commissioned: 1 June 1995[3]
Reclassified: April 2016: from PG-381 to PC-381
Status: in active service
General characteristics
Class and type: Jose Andrada class
Type: Coastal Patrol Craft
Displacement: 56.4 tons full load [4]
Length: 78 ft (24 m)[5]
Beam: 20 ft (6.1 m)[5]
Draft: 5.8 ft (1.8 m)[5]
Propulsion:
  • 2 × 1,400 bhp Detroit 16V-92TA Diesel Engines[1][N 1]
  • 2 × 35-kW Diesel generators
  • 2 shafts
Speed: 28 knots (52 km/h) maximum
Range: 1,200 nmi (2,200 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 4-meter rigid inflatable boat at aft
Complement: 12[5]
Sensors and
processing systems:		 Raytheon AN/SPS-64(V)11 Navigation / Surface Search Radar
Armament:
  • 1 × Mk.38 Mod.0 Bushmaster 25mm chain gun
  • 4 × Mk.26 M2HB Browning 12.7 mm/50-cal. GP machine guns
  • 2 × M60 7.62 mm/30-cal. GP machine guns

It was initially designated as Fast Patrol Craft, and was numbered "DF-381", but later on was re-designated as a Patrol Gunboat, and was finally re-numbered as "PG-381".[3] Another round of reclassification was made in April 2016, which re-designated the patrol gunboat as the coastal patrol craft "PC-381".

Technical Details

The ship was built to US Coast Guard standards with aluminium hull and superstructure.[5] She is powered by two Detroit Diesel 16V-92TA Diesel Engines with a combined power of around 2,800 hp driving two propellers for a maximum speed of 28 knots (52 km/h). Maximum range is 1,200 nmi (2,200 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h), or alternatively 600 nmi (1,100 km) at 24 knots (44 km/h).[1]

The ship originally designed to carry one bow Mk.3 40 mm gun, one 81 mm mortar aft, and four 12.7 mm/50 calibre machine guns.[1][6] Instead, she is armed with one 25mm Bushmaster chain gun on Mk.38 Mod.0 mount, four M2HB Browning 12.7 mm/50 calibre machine guns on Mk.26 mounts, with two positioned forward and two aft; and two M60 7.62 mm/30 caliber machine guns, both mounted amidships. The ship can carry 4,000 rounds of 12.7 mm and 2,000 rounds of 7.62 mm A large "Big Eyes" binocular is also carried on tripod mounts, one on the forecastle and one just above the mast.[1]

As part of the second batch (PG-379 to PG-395), it is equipped with Mk.38 Mod.0 M242 Bushmaster 25mm chain gun that the first batch of ships do not carry.[1][5][6]

She is equipped with a Raytheon AN/SPS-64(V)11 surface search and navigation radar but with a smaller antenna as those used in bigger Philippine Navy ships.[1][4] Like all other Philippine Navy ship, she was installed with the Philippine Navy Vessel Tracking System (VTS) by the Naval Sea Systems Command.[7]

A 4-meter rigid inflatable boat powered by a 40-hp outboard motor is stowed amidships.[1]

Notable Deployments

On May 11, 2016, the BRP Dioscoro Papa towed back to safety to Tawi-Tawi the M/L Rabson. The M/L Rabson was carrying 120 passengers who had been to Sitangkai town for the elections when it suffered engine trouble, and had been stranded for more than three hours when the BRP Dioscoro Papa found it.[8]

In May 2018, the BRP Dioscoro Papa participated in the Third Combined Maritime Security Activity with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) along with the BRP General Mariano Alvarez (PS-38), BRP Anastacio Cacayorin (PC-387), BRP Cebu (PS-28) and BRP Filipino Flojo (PC-386). The RAN sent the vessels HMAS Albany (ACPB 86) and HMAS Glenelg (ACPB 96) for the exercise.[9]

Footnotes
  1. All sources refer to the same engine, although with different horsepower rating.[1][5] But official specs from manufacturer indicates a 1,400 hp rating for each engine.

References
  1. Wertheim, Eric: The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 15th Edition, page 553. Naval Institute Press, 2007.
  2. Shipbuildinghistory.com Equitable Shipyards, New Orleans LA
  3. GlobalSecurity.org PG Jose Andrada Class.
  4. Manokski's ORBAT @ Hueybravo. Jose Andrada class page.
  5. Saunders, Stephen: Jane's Fighting Ships 107th Edition 2004-2005. Jane's Information Group Ltd, 2004.
  6. AFP Materiel Technical Specification Archives - PN Light Surface Warships Andrada (Halter 78) class Coastal Patrol Craft (24)
  7. "NASSCOM Unveils PN Vessel Tracking System (VTS)". Philippine Navy Naval Sea Systems Command. 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-02-09. Retrieved 2011-11-24.
  8. "Navy Assists Stranded Vessel in Tawi-Tawi"
  9. "RP, Australia Up for Another Maritime Security Activity"
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