2 landing vessels donated by Australian Royal Navy to PH

MANILA – The Australian Royal Navy said that it will be donating two landing craft heavy vessels, the HMAS Tarakan and HMAS Brunei, to the Philippine Navy.

The vessels will be turned over to the Philippines as soon as new safety and navigation gear are installed, sometime in May 2105, according to Australian Defense Minister Kevin Andrews.

Decommissioned in 2014, the HMAS Tarakan and HMAS Brunei are heavy sealift vessels, capable of conveying large vehicles and able to dock on any shore.

Col. Restituto Padilla Jr., spokesperson for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), noted that the vessels are a welcome addition to the fleet of the Philippine Navy, and will augment the country’s maritime capacity; most especially in the event of tropical storms and natural disasters.