PH Navy keen on acquiring US Cyclone-patrol vessels

MANILA – The Philippine Navy (PN) has expressed its interest to acquire the newly-decommissioned Cyclone-class patrol vessels of the United States (US) Navy.

“The PN has manifested its interest in the decommissioned Cyclone-class patrol vessels (CCPVs) of the US Navy as a stop-gap to the decommissioned legacy PN ships. As to how many, that depends on the seaworthiness and efficiency of the CCPVs that will be offered, and this will be determined by the PN Joint Visual Inspection Team,” PN chief, Vice Adm. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said in a message to the Philippine News Agency Thursday night.

Bacordo said he will be happy if the PN acquires at least five of these Cyclone-class patrol vessels which will be a boost to its fleet.

At present, the PN has one Cyclone-class patrol vessel in its service, the BRP General Mariano Alvarez (PS-38), formerly the ex-USS Cyclone, which was transferred to the PN in 2004.

“We have manifested our interest with JUSMAG (Joint US Military Assistance Group) and US INDOPACOM (Indo-Pacific Command),” he added.

The Cyclone-class patrol ships are a class of US Navy coastal patrol boats consisting of some 14 ships.

These vessels weigh around 328.5 long tons and have a length of 179 feet, a beam of 25 feet, and a draft of 7.5 feet.

Their maximum speed is placed at 35 knots and they have a range of between 2,000 to 2,500 nautical miles.

Cyclone-class patrol vessels are armed with two 25mm autocannons and several high-powered machine guns.