Articles by Mark Condeno

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Submarine Operations in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea: A Historical Backgrounder

INTRODUCTION Since the 90’s, two of the six claimant countries in the disputed Spratly Group of Islands possessed submarines in their respective fleets. After the year 2000, this would change with the arrival of the French-built Scorpene and the Russian Kilo Class Submarines in the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) and the Vietnam  Peoples Navy (VPN) in 2014. Things are about…


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Our Mine Warfare Force

INTRODUCTION. A country with a 36,289-kilometer coastline and the world’s second largest archipelago, the Philippines’ lifeline is the sea, thus utilizing it to our advantage is a primary mission as part of today’s area denial counter to an invader. The country having a number of straits, inlets, bays and passageways can use these features in delaying the enemy’s advance. The…




Our Submarine Chasers

INTRODUCTION After the reconstitution of the Offshore Patrol (OSP) in 1945, a subsequent build up followed with the arrival of former US Coast Guard Lighthouse Tenders by 1947, surplus ships of the United States Navy made its way to the  OSP from the Patrol Craft Escorts (PCE), Landing Ship Tanks (LST’s), and Submarine Chasers (SC’s). Unknown to many, from 1945…


A Brief History of the Philippine Navy Seals From the Underwater Operations Team to the Naval Special Operations Command

THE BEGINNINGS Formerly known as the Underwater Operations Team or UOT as the present day Philippine Navy Seals were then known, the unit was conceived by then LT Ramon N Baluyot PN while in operations with the Philippine Marines in the Sulu Sea Frontier against dissidents and combating piracy which was prevalent in the area during those times. ACTIVATION AND…


A Brief Historical Backgrounder on PHILIPPINES-INDONESIA Military Relations

THE BEGINNINGS On 21-June-1951, a Treaty of Friendship between the Philippines and Indonesia was signed during the administration of President Elpidio R Quirino. Seven years later, the pillars were strengthened with the signing of the Cultural Agreement between the two countries on 29-April-1959 during the term of President Carlos P Garcia, two significant accords that would pave the way for…


Former Philippine Navy Ships from ASEAN Countries

“We’re going to have to send you back, to rescue the Vietnamese Navy.” We forgot ‘em, and if we don’t get them or any part of them, they’re all probably going to be killed. ~ Admiral Donald Whittier, USN, Commander, Evacuation Mission, Operation Frequent Wind to CDR Paul Jacobs, USN, Commanding Officer of the Knox Class Frigate USS Kirk (FF-1087)….


Southeast Asia’s First Submarine Forces: The Royal Thai Navy and The Indonesian Navy Submarine Force

The two oldest undersea forces established on 04-September-1937 and 12-September-1959 have the distinction of having the first Submarine Forces in the Southeast Asian region. These are the Royal Thai Navy and the Indonesian Navy Force. The Royal Thai Navy acquired its first Submarines through bidding which was won by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan for a price 75,000 Pounds for…


Modern Day Coastal Defense Operations and Its Implications for the Philippines

INTRODUCTION. Vampire! Vampire! Vampire! yelled the Fire Controlman aboard BRP Vicente Catalan (DDG-01) as the blips came into his scope. Countermeasures! as the Ship’s Weapons Officer shouted, decoys launched. Enemy Missiles destroyed. –A fictional futuristic scenario in which Philippine Navy warships may encounter in a modern high intensity conflict from a mobile land-based anti-ship missile systems. On 04-April-2022, the Shore-Based…


Engaging the Enemy at the Littorals: A History of Coastal Defense in the Philippines from the Pre-Spanish period to the Second World War (Part 2)

The American Era: Coastal Defense Fortifications Take Shape The importance of Corregidor Island in the military complex dates back as far as the beginning of the Spanish Colonial period during the 1500’s, as Spanish Galleons used to anchor at the Island or on other nearby islands. Apart from being a naval anchorage, it was an outpost to alert Manila and…


ENGAGING THE ENEMY AT THE LITTORALS: A HISTORY OF COASTAL DEFENSE IN THE PHILIPPINES from the Pre-Spanish period to the Second World War.

“ Coast Defense, in its broadest sense, includes all measures taken to provide protection against any form of attack at or near the shore line as well as within the combat zone immediately in rear thereof. ” -US FM 31-10 Basic Field Manual of Coast Defense INTRODUCTION In October 2019, the Philippine Army activated the Artillery Regiment’s 1st Land-Based Missile…


Oceanographic and Research Vessels of the Philippines

As the jurisdiction to the BENHAM RISE plateau was finally given to the Philippines in 2017, unknown to many, the Philippines has an Oceanographic and Research Capability that dates back to the 1900s until the present. In December 1900, the US Coast and Geodetic Survey (USCGS) sent personnel to Manila to establish the sub-office of the USCGS in the Philippines….


BROWN EAGLE UNDERWATER: The Philippines’ Quest For Submarines

I am sharing an article I had written six years ago, now with revisions as further information came to light in supporting the Philippine Navy’s acquisition of Submarines through a historical perspective. INTRODUCTION.  On 22-September-1914, in the cold choppy waters of the North Sea, a few miles from the coast of the Netherlands in less than 90 minutes, HMS Aboukir,…



THE DATU KALANTIAW CLASS FRIGATES

The Philippine Navy is one of five Asian navies that possessed the Cannon Class Destroyer Escort apart from the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), Republic of China Navy (ROCN), Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), and the Royal Thai Navy (RTN). The Philippine Navy inducted into service its first Cannon Class Destroyer Escort (known in Filipino Naval Service as the…


Enemy Beneath the Waves: Anti-Submarine Warfare Operations in the Philippine Navy during the 50’s

INTRODUCTION Submarine Warfare and Anti-Submarine Warfare is no stranger to the world’s Second largest archipelago as its waters were witness to the various naval battles of the last Pacific War between Submarines of the United States Navy against that of Imperial Japan and/or the other way around with the former during the Battle of Palawan Passage in October 1944 with…



The Sinking and Raising of RPS RAJAH SOLIMAN (D-66) 29-JUNE-1964

On 29-June-1964, the Philippine Navy lost its Flagship and First Destroyer Escort during the fury of Typhoon Winnie. The loss of a Flagship is a major loss to any Naval Force. Fortunately during this incident, none of the Officers and Crew were lost. Despite the harshness of Mother Nature, the ship’s entire complement braved the typhoon to save the ship…