Our Amphibious Warfare Vessels: From Combat Service Support to Humanitarian Response (Part 2 of 2)

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BRP BATAK (LC-299) with an Abraham Campo Class Patrol Gunboat and 2 Jose Andrada Class Gunboats during Exercise Pagsasama 2021. Photo Credit: PN Public Affairs Office Facebook Page. Accessed 15 July 2023.

Posted By: Mark Condeno 25-Jul-2023

LANDING SUPPORT VESSEL (LSV). It would be 17 years later that the Service Force would have a boost in the arm with commissioning of the Frank S Besson Class BRP Bacolod City (LC-550) on 03-December-1993 and BRP Cagayan De Oro (LC-551 later changed to BRP Dagupan City) on 05-April-1994. Both still extant today with a 990-ton capability load for amphibious operations and 150 Marine Corps personnel.

LSV OPERATIONAL HISTORY. BRP Bacolod City marks this year (2023) of 30 years of service to the Navy and Country, her notable deployments since commissioned include various missions on territorial defense, maritime patrol, and re-provisioning missions to the various islands in the archipelago and that of the detachments that we have in the Kalayaan Island Group. She and her sister BRP Dagupan City has been on the forefront of the various Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster relief (HADR) missions affected by the various typhoons that hit the country such as Typhoon Yolanda, the two vessels were able to bring in the much-needed relief goods and the first to bring in the navy’s heavy equipment in support of the on-going search and rescue operations in the area. The two LSVs also participated in various international naval exercises representing the country during the Langkawi International Maritime Aerospace Exhibition in Malaysia, the Bilateral BALIKATAN exercises with the Americans and the KAKADU Exercise with the Australian Defense Force.

LANDING CRAFT HEAVY (LCH). More than a score later on 23-July-2015, former Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Landing Craft Heavy HMAS Tarakan and HMAS Brunei were turned over to the Philippine Navy and became BRP Batak (LC-299) and BRP Ivatan (LC-298). Almost a year later, the remaining Royal Australian Navy Balikpapan Class were commissioned in the Philippine Navy as BRP Waray (LC- 288) BRP Iwak (LC-289) and BRP Agta (LC-290). The donation of Tarakan and Brunei came to light during the Typhoon Yolanda when it was observed that the Philippines needed to improve its Sealift capability. The last three LCHs were purchased later on.

LCH OPERATIONAL HISTORY. BRP Batak’s operational support missions involved bringing in supplies and relief goods to the victims of Typhoon Rolly and Ulyses in the Province of Catanduanes three years ago, and to other parts of the country transporting the much-needed personal protective equipment when the global pandemic struck the country.

BRP Ivatan transported relief goods and other needed materials to the families affected by Super Typhoon Odette last January 2022 in the Visayas region where 23,000 families were displaced by force majeure; two years prior, she also transported 1,827 Philsys kits for the National ID system in the Provinces of Leyte, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Antique, Cebu, Bohol, and Capiz.

BRP Waray’s known Tabulated Record of Movement and Operational History was her Community Outreach Program held in Misamis Occidental as part of Civil Military Operations in November 2018, the following month along with her sister-ship BRP Agta, and with other naval craft, supported the Marine amphibious landing in Patikul, Sulu. In mid 2019, BRP Waray apprehended a motor launch off Zamboanga waters involved in human trafficking and rescued about 100 persons.

Last January 2022, BRPM Iwak conducted HADR operations in the Province of Surigao Del Norte and Dinagat Islands hardhit by Super Typhoon Odette, 50 sacks of rice and 142 5-gallon water containers and bottled water were carried by the vessel from donations of various groups in Manila.

BRP TARLAC (LD-601) and BRP RAMON ALCARAZ (PS-16) during Maritime Training SAMA-SAMA in 2018. Photo Credit: Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Fulton, USN, Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. Accessed 15- July-2023.

LANDING PLATFORM DOCK (LD). A major amphibious vessel of the Fleet BRP Tarlac (LD-601), the BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602) is one of the current large tonnage vessel acquisition since the Frank S Besson Class 23 years ago. The contract was awarded to PT PAL Indonesia on 29-August-2014. Both ships were commissioned in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

LPD OPERATIONAL HISTORY. Since her commissioning in 2016, BRP Tarlac and later her sister-ship BRP Davao Del Sur were in the forefront of combat service support and HADR missions throughout the country. In September 2016, BRP Tarlac was in Zamboanga as part of the naval blockade during operations against Abu Sayaff. During the Marawi Siege, from her deck flew the Agusta A109s in support of the operations as well as a platform for the units of the Naval Special Operations Group.

Subsequently, she was also a participant of the various bilateral exercises with the United States Navy such as the Maritime Training Activity Sama-Sama and the 2019 Balikatan Exercises. Historic firsts were her voyages to Vladivostok, Russia in September 2018, and the International Fleet Review in South Korea in October 2018.

BRP DAVAO DEL SUR (LD-602) off the Coast of Hawaii, during the 26th Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise in 2018. Photo Credit: Petty Officer 1st Class Arthurgwain Marquez USN, Defense Visual Information DIstribution Service.
 Accessed 15-July-2023

On her more recent operations, BRP Davao Del Sur performed HADR to those affected by heavy rains in the province of Zamboanga last January 2023, and in July 2023 to the people of Albay with the unrest of the Mayon Volcano.

Six years after her commissioning, BRP Davao Del Sur’s initial operations were to support the initial reconstruction and rehabilitation of the City of Marawi, as well as combat  service support to troops in the area. In 2018, she was part of the Balikatan Exercises and as well as numerous exercises such as RIMPAC and a procedural meeting at sea exercise with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force.

BRP Davao Del Sur also represented the Philippines during the Russian Navy Day commemoration at the Russian Pacific Fleet Headquarters in Vladivostok, Russia on 28-July-2019.

SMALLER AMPHIBIOUS VESSELS. Further, 71 smaller vessels comprising 11 LCM-8s, 50 LCM-6s, 7 LCVPs and 3 LCUs were part of the then Sealift Amphibious Command and later on Service Squadron, and the present Sealift Amphibious Force mostly former units of the United States Navy (USN), Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) and the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN). Further, 3 Ex-USN Mark 6 LCUs are still in service as well as 2 locally designed LCUs known as the Tagbanua and Manobo Class. Also present are 4 smaller LCUs, part of the two LPDs and 5 Riverine Utility Crafts or RUCs.

TIMELINE OF COMMISSIONING

LANDING SHIP TANK

  • 1947- 2 LSTs
  • 1948- 3 LSTs
  • 1969- 3 LSTs
  • 1972-3 LSTs
  • 1975-1976- 14 LSTs

LANDING SHIP MEDIUM

  • 1960-1 LSM
  • 1961-1 LSM
  • 1962-1 LSM
  • 1975- 3 LSMs (Only 2 were commissioned)

LANDING SHIP INFANTRY LARGE

  • 1976-4 LSILs

LANDING SHIP SUPPORT LARGE

  • 1975-6 (First 4 Ex-SVN) ( 2 Ex-USN) LSSLs

LANDING SUPPORT VESSEL

  • 1993-1 LSV
  • 1994-1 LSV

LANDING CRAFT UTILITY (TAGBANUA CLASS)

  • 2011-1 LCU

LANDING CRAFT HEAVY

  • 2015- 2 LCHs
  • 2016- 3 LCHs

LANDING PLATFORM DOCK

  • 2016-1 LPD
  • 2017-1 LPD

LANDING CRAFT UTILITY (MULGAE CLASS MK.78)

  • 2021 LCU (Ex-ROKN)

TOWARDS THE FUTURE. Last June 2022, a contract was signed between the Philippines and Indonesia’s PT PAL for the construction of two additional Landing Platform Dock of the Tarlac Class envisioned to enter service in the near future.

CONCLUSION. As the world’s second largest archipelago with 11 major and 7630 other islands, the importance and necessity of amphibious vessels both for combat, combat service support, and humanitarian and disaster response is primordial for the navy in reaching out to far flung garrisons all over the country, and as a platform as a first responder during calamities particularly on ports or islands with no harbors.

SOURCES

  • Combat Fleets of the World 1947-1995 by Antony Preston
  • The Filipino Navy by Commander Ferdinand Edralin PN (GSC), 1973
  • The Philippine Navy 1898-1998 by Commodore Regino P Giagonia (Res), HPN, 1998
  • Various editions of Jane’s Fighting Ships
  • The Philippine Navy in the New Society, HPN
  • History of the Philippine Navy, by CAPT Aquilino Silvero and LT Isidro Espela PN
  • Ships and Aircraft of the Philippine Fleet

ON-LINE SOURCES

About the Author

AUX CDR Mark R Condeno PCG is the Administrative Officer of the Philippine-Korea Friendship Center under the Department of National Defense-Philippine Veterans Affairs Office. He holds a BS degree in Architecture from Palawan State University. He completed the Basic Naval Reserve Officers Training Course with the 420TH NROTCU. He is with Bravo Class of 1999, the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary Officers Indoctrination Course, Coast Guard District-Palawan. In 2002, he took the Aerospace Power Course at Air University, United States Air Force and is a 2008 Graduate of the Joint US Military Historical Operations Course. In 2007, he was Research Officer at the Office of the Naval Historian, PN. Lastly, he is with Class 26 of the Executive Course on National Security of the National Defense College of the Philippines.