BRP Iwak (LC-289)

The BRP Iwak (LC-289) is a heavy landing craft of the Philippine Navy. From 1972 to 2012, it was known as HMAS Wewak (L 130) and served the Royal Australian Navy.[1] It was decommissioned in December 2012, was stored until it was sold by the Australian government to the Philippine Navy to assist in improving the country's Humaritarian and Disaster Relief capabilities.[2]

History
Australia
Name: HMAS Wewak
Builder: Walkers Limited (Maryborough, Queensland, Australia)
Laid down: 21 March 1972
Launched: 19 May 1972
Commissioned: 10 August 1973
Decommissioned: 11 December 2012
Fate: transferred to Philippine Navy.
History
Philippines
Name: BRP Iwak
Namesake: Iwak people, a minor Filipino ethnic group found in the Cordillera region in the island of Luzon, Philippines
Operator: Philippine Navy
Acquired: 2016
Commissioned: 1 June 2016
Status: in active service
General characteristics
Class and type: Ivatan-class (Balikpapan class)
Type: Landing Craft Heavy
Displacement: 364 tons standard
517 tons full load
Length: 44.5 m (146 ft)
Beam: 10.1 m (33 ft)
Draft: 2 m (6 ft 7 in)
Propulsion: 2 × General Motors Detroit 6–71 diesel motors (original)
2 × Caterpillar 3406E diesel engines (RAN since 2005)
Speed: 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Range: 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) unladen
1,300 nautical miles (2,400 km; 1,500 mi) with 175 tons of cargo
Capacity: 180 tons of cargo
Complement: 16
Sensors and
processing systems:		 Racal Decca Bridgemaster I-band navigational radar
Armament: two 7.62 mm (0.300 in) machine guns

Prior to commissioning with the Philippine Navy, the ship, together with the former HMAS Betano and HMAS Balikpapan, underwent refurbishing, refit, and servicing works in Cebu for a few months.[3]

The ship was commissioned to Philippine Navy, together with 2 other sisterships and a new landing platform dock, on 1 June 2016 in Manila.[4]

See also

References
  1. "Philippine Navy commissions first SSV, three landing craft on 118th anniversary". IHS Jane's 360. 2016-06-03. Retrieved 2016-06-08.
  2. "Australia confirms Philippines' acquisition of three ex-RAN landing craft". IHS Jane's 360. 2015-10-28. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  3. "3 new ships officially turned over to Navy". Philstar. 2016-03-30. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
  4. "Navy chief asserts need to focus on territorial defense amid sea tensions". Inquirer.net. 2016-06-01. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
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