BRP Tagbanua (AT-296)

The BRP Tagbanua (AT-296) is a landing craft utility of the Philippine Navy. She was named after the Tagbanua tribe mainly residing in Palawan island. She is the largest Philippine-made naval vessel launched to date.

History
Philippines
Name: Tagbanua
Namesake: Tagbanua tribe is one of the oldest tribes in the Philippines.
Operator: Philippine Navy
Builder: Philippine Iron Construction and Marine Works, Engine: Propmech
Cost: ₱178.9 million (2011) per unit
Launched: 28 September 2011
Sponsored by: Mrs. Victoria Elisa "Viel" Aquino-Dee
Acquired: November 2011
Commissioned: 14 December 2011
Maiden voyage: 10 November 2011
Status: in active service
General characteristics
Type: Landing Craft Utility
Displacement: 579 tonnes (570 long tons)
Length: 51.43 m (168 ft 9 in)
Beam: 10.0 m (32 ft 10 in)
Draft: 1.52 m (5 ft 0 in)
Depth: 2.44 m (8 ft 0 in)
Propulsion: Caterpillar CAT C32 ACERT Diesel Marine Engine[1]
Speed: 15 knots (28 km/h) maximum, 12 knots (22 km/h) cruising speed[1]
Capacity: 110 tons cargo @ 250sqm space, 200 passengers
Crew: 15
Sensors and
processing systems:		 Sperry Marine Visionmaster FT navigation radar
Armament: 6 × 50-cal 12.7 mm machine guns

Construction, Trials and Commissioning

The LCU Acquisition Project was part of the 2002 Revised Reprioritized Project List with an approved budget of PhP 189 million.[2]

The contract was awarded on 16 March 2010 to Propmech Corporation,[3] which jointly constructed the ship with Philippine Iron Construction and Marine Works (PICMW). Propmech was responsible for the engine and propulsion system, and PICMW Inc. for the hull and ship’s fixtures.[2] Fabrication and construction was done at PICMW's shipyard at Jasaan, Misamis Oriental. The ship was launched on 28 September 2011, and her maiden voyage and sea trial was done on 10–11 November 2011 with from Jasaan, Misamis Oriental to the Navotas port in Manila.[4]

She was commissioned together with other naval assets on a ceremony in Manila on 14 December 2011.[5]

Deployments

On 24 February 2013, the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines said the ship sailed from Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, to the village of Tanduo in Lahad Datu, where the followers of the Sultan of Sulu had been held up for weeks in their abortive attempt to reclaim Sabah.[6]

References
  1. "Steadfast: Propmech Newsletter No. 1 - Built to move: Propmech completes the LCU". Propmech. May 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  2. "Philippine Navy Prepares to Receive Philippine Made Ship". Philippine Navy Naval Public Affairs Office. 2011-09-19. Archived from the original on 2011-10-17. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  3. "Landing Craft Utility acquisition project". PH Defense Today. 2011-10-27. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  4. "Notice to Mariners No. 205-2011". Philippine Coast Guard. 2011-11-10. Archived from the original on 2011-12-27. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  5. "Noy inaugurates 2 newly commissioned ships". The Philippine Star. 2011-12-15. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  6. "Sultanate thanks Aquino for sending ship but says Filipinos will stay in Sabah". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 2013-02-24. Retrieved 2013-02-25.
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