More Assets for PH Navy in July

More naval assets and equipment will arrive and further boost the capabilities of the Philippine Navy (PN) in July.

PN flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad made this statement during the 121st founding anniversary of the PN, which was held on Naval Base Heracleo Alano, Sangley Point, Cavite on Monday.

These include three more multi-purpose attack crafts (MPACs), which will be armed with Spike-ER surface-to-surface missiles by the first quarter of 2020.

“Once completed, the PN will have 15 MPACs, six of which (will have) missile capabilities,” he added.

Also in July, the Navy will accept the delivery of its first-ever “Pohang”-class corvette, which was donated by South Korea.

Empedrad said the 60 PN personnel, who will compose its sailing crew, are now on the final stage of their training.

“The ship will be named after a Korean war hero, Capt. Conrado Yap and will sail to the Philippines before the end of July. It has two 76mm guns and two twin-barrel 30mm guns, it also has torpedo launchers and sonar capabilities that can detect submarines,” the PN chief added.

“With the guidance of the President to end insurgency in the next two years, the deployment of five ships, one ‘Pohang’ corvette and the PN’s MPACs in Mindanao, will hasten the end of the 50-year-old insurgency problem,” he added.

Empedrad said that these ships will allow the PN to take total control of “maritime waters in Mindanao” and help destroy the ability of the insurgents and terrorists from using the sea to consolidate their forces and transport their weapons and logistics in war.

“In war, disrupting the logistics or supply lines is vital in defeating the enemy,” he added. (PNA)