BRP Bacolod City (LS-550)

BRP Bacolod City (LS-550)
History
Philippines
Name: Bacolod City
Namesake: Bacolod City is the capital and largest highly urbanized Philippine city of the province of Negros Occidental.
Operator: Philippine Navy
Builder: Halter/Moss Point Marine, Escatawpa, MS.
Commissioned: 1 December 1993
Renamed:
  • BRP Bacolod City (LC-550) - until April 2016
  • BRP Bacolod City (LS-550) - from April 2016
Status: in active service
General characteristics
Class and type: Bacolod City class
Type: Logistics Support Vessel
Displacement: 4,265 Tons (Full Load)
Length: 273 ft (83 m)
Beam: 60 ft (18 m) (folded)
Draft: 12 ft (3.7 m)
Installed power: 5,800 hp (4,300 kW)
Propulsion: 2 × GM EMD 16V-645E6 diesel engines
Speed: 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) (maximum), 10 knots (sustained)
Range: 8,300 nmi (15,400 km; 9,600 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 2 × LCVPs on davits
Capacity: 2,280 tons (900 tons for amphibious operations) of vehicles, containers or cargo, plus 150 troops
Complement: (30) 6 - Officers/ 24 - Enlisted Personnel
Sensors and
processing systems:		 Raytheon SPS-64(V)2 I-band Navigation Radar[1][2]
Armament:
Aircraft carried: none permanently assigned
Aviation facilities: Helipad at aft deck

The BRP Bacolod City (LS-550) is the lead ship of two Bacolod City class logistics support vessel, and is based on a helicopter capable variant of the US Army's Frank S. Besson class. She is also considered as one of the most modern transport ships in the Philippine Navy, having been commissioned during the early 1990s. She was previously known as BRP Bacolod City (LC-550) prior to a classification change implemented by the Philippine Navy starting April 2016.

History

The BRP Bacolod City was built by Halter/Moss Point Marine of Escatawpa, Mississippi in the United States and was commissioned into Philippine Navy in 1993. Both ships of its class were purchased brand-new by the Philippine government through the FMS program of the United States. Since its commissioning, both ships of its class were rigorously used in military and peacetime operations, and has been joining joint military exercises with foreign navies as well.

Presently it is assigned with the Service Force of the Philippine Fleet.[4]

Technical details

The ship is powered by two General Motors-EMD 16-645EZ6 diesel engines with a combined power of around 5,800 hp driving two propellers. The main engines can propel the 1,400 ton (4,265 tons full load) ship at a maximum speed of around 12 knots (22 km/h). At a sustained speed of 10 knots (19 km/h), it range is at around 8,300 nautical miles (15,370 km).[5]

As an amphibious transport, it is fairly armed for defensive purposes, and carries two M2 12.7mm machine guns at the front side decks, and two Mk.10 Oerlikon 20 mm cannons near its two LCVPs.[1][2]

The prime mission of the ship is the direct transport and discharge of liquid and dry cargo to shallow terminal areas, remote under-developed coastlines and on inland waterways.

The ship does not require external cranes or port facilities, and even in only four feet of water under full load, the ship is still able to land. This capability expands the choice of landing locations, and at the same time reduces the potential enemy impact on the logistics support operations.

The ships have a capacity to transport up to 48 TEU or 2,280 tons vehicles/general cargo, or up to 900 tons on Logistics Over The Shore (LOTS) / amphibious operations. Its ramps and the main deck are able to withstand roll-on/roll-off operations of even heavy main battle tanks.[6]

Notable Operations

Exercises

Bacolod City joined BRP Juan Magluyan (PG-392) and BRP Artemio Ricarte (PS-37) and the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group during the sea exercise phase of the RP-US Balikatan 2008 on February 2008.[7]

On 19–23 July 2011, BRP Bacolod City together with BRP Quezon (PS-70) was part of Amphibious Exercise PAGSISIKAP 2011 held in Manila Bay.[8]

Deployments

The Bacolod City together with BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS-35) under Naval Task Group 80 will be part of 262-member contingent representing the Philippine Navy in the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition 2011 from 6–10 December 2011 in Langkawi, Malaysia.[9]

Gallery

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Saunders, Stephen: Jane's Fighting Ships 107th Edition 2004-2005. Jane's Information Group Ltd, 2004.
  2. 1 2 Wertheim, Eric: The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 15th Edition, page 550. Naval Institute Press, 2007.
  3. ↑ World Warships. Philippine Navy.
  4. ↑ Philippine Fleet Official Website. Commissioned ships and crafts.
  5. ↑ DLSU N-ROTC Office. Naming and Code Designation of PN Vessels.
  6. ↑ Naval Technology Frank S Besson Class LSV Logistic Support Vessel
  7. ↑ Navy News Service - Eye of the Fleet Balikatan 2009
  8. ↑ "Amphibious EXERCISE PAGSISIKAP 2011". Philippine Navy News. 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  9. ↑ "Navy team joins int'l exhibition". Manila Bulletin. 2011-11-26. Retrieved 2011-11-27.

External links

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