Malvar-class corvette

Not to be confused with Miguel Malvar-class frigate.
Class overview
NameMalvar class
BuildersPullman Standard Car Manufacturing Co.; Albina Engine and Machine Works; Willamette Iron and Steel Corp.; Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding; US
Operators Philippine Navy
Succeeded byRizal class
Active0
Lost1
Retired9
General characteristics
Type
  • Patrol corvette (as originally transferred)
  • Gun corvette (later, upon removal of all ASW ability)
Displacement
  • 914 tons (full load)
  • 640 tons (standard)
Length184.5 ft (56.2 m)
Beam33 ft (10 m)
Draft
Installed power
  • 3 gens[1]
  • 2 × GM6-71 diesel engines with 100KW gen
  • 1 × GM3-268A diesel engine with 60KW gen
Propulsion
  • 2 × GM12-278A diesel engines [1] with a combined 2,200 hp (1,600 kW)
  • (previous) 2 × GM12-567ATL diesel engines
  • (original) 2 × Cooper Bessemer GSB-8 diesel engines
Speed
Range6,600 nmi at 11 knots (20 km/h)
Complement85
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Raytheon AN/SPS-64(V)11 nav & surface-search radar (1990-1992 refits: PS-19, PS-22, PS-31, & PS-32) (1992-1993 refits: PS-23 & PS-28)[2]
  • SPS-50 Surface Search Radar (on PS-23)
  • SPS-21D Surface Search Radar (on PS-19 and PS-28)
  • CRM-NIA-75 Surface Search Radar (on PS-29, PS-31, and PS-32)
  • SPS-53A Surface Search Radar (on PS-20)
  • RCA SPN-18 I/J-band Navigation Radar
  • [3]
  • Sonar (either removed during 1990-1993 overhaul & refits[3] or 1980s;[2] if not in the 1960s for the 5 ships that arrived in 1975)
Armament
  • SuW-AAW[1][2]
  • 1 × 76mm L/50 (3-inch 50-caliberLong) dual-purpose cannon on a Mk.22 mount
  • Bofors 40mm AA rapid-fire cannons (in 1 of ff config):
    • 3 × twin-barrel[1]
    • 2 × single-barrel[1]
    • 3 × single-barrel (claimed from some photo sources)
    • none at all (transferred to PhMC for their ground-based AA weapons)[2]
  • Oerlikon 20 mm AA rapid-fire cannons: 3[2] or 4 units[1])
  • 4 × M2 Browning 50cal (12.7 mm) heavy machine guns
  • A number of 30cal medium machine guns
  • Removed Armaments
  • 4 of 1st 6 ships transferred in 1948: Either during the 1990-1993 overhaul & refits[3] Or the 1980's [2])
  • Last 5 ships arrived in 1975: Either during 1960's before their transfer to RVNN Or (except maybe PS-18) along with 4 of the 1st 6 ships
  • ASW
  • 1 × Hedgehog antisubmarine mortar projector
  • 4 × K-gun depth charge projectors
  • 2 × depth charge rails
  • SuW-AAW
  • Bofors 40mm twin-barrel AA rapid-fire cannons (either only certain ships[1] or all the remaining ships [2])
  • MCM gears (from the 3 minesweeper-variant hulls Admirable-class)

The Malvar class is a ship class of patrol corvettes of the Philippine Navy and are currently its oldest class of corvettes. These ships were formerly used by the US Navy as Admirable-class minesweepers, and PCE-842-class and PCE(R)-848 class patrol craft, which were both based on the Admirable-class hull. In the Philippine Navy, the vessels have undergone upgrades and modifications, and have been re-categorized as corvettes. One ship, the ex-USN USS Quest was converted into a non-combatant Presidential Yacht by the Philippine Navy in 1948 as RPS Pag-asa (APO-21) (later on renamed as RPS Santa Maria, and as RPS/BRP Mount Samat)[4]

In 2021 December 10, the remaining two ships of the class were finally decommissioned, and so the remaining WW2-era vessels left during that time are the five armed transport-types (3 LCUs & 2 LSTs). That event was supposed to mark the end of the era of using WW2 combatants but supertyphoon Odette hit the Philippines just 6 days after their decommissioning, and so BRP Magat Salamat (PS-20) was forced again into service "with a volunteer force composed mainly of its last crew" to serve as a temporary command post for the duration of the relief operations in the severely affected Dinagat Islands.[5]

But to begin with, the replacements for all the WW2-era vessels was originally planned for the 2000s under the 1995-2010 Philippine Military Modernization Law, however this law was largely ignored for various reasons, including overdependence on the US via their 1951 MDT and 1998 VFA, among others. Some Filipinos blamed the 1997 Asian financial crisis as the core reason but in actuality the Philippine economy grew by 5.2% in 1997, only contracted -0.6% in 1998, and then quickly rebounded 3.1% in 1999, and onwards; it even weathered the 2007–2008 financial crisis where, by 2009, most countries were on the negative while the Philippines managed at 1.1%, while 7.15% and 4.15% in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The modernization law expired in 2010 February 23 without even a single hint of reviving it during that time. The Philippines only thought of reviving it when the Scarborough Shoal standoff erupted in 2012 April 8.

History

The PCE class of naval ships served with the United States Navy during the Second World War.

Out of the reserved US Navy units, six were transferred to the Philippines as part of the US Military Assistance Program (PS-28 to PS-33), while five were former South Vietnamese Navy units that escaped to the Philippines in 1975.

With 40 years of active duty with the Philippine Navy, ships of this class have been involved in local and international crisis, exercises, and incidents.

Technical details

Originally the ship was armed with one 3" (76mm) L/50 dual-purpose gun, two to six Bofors 40 mm guns, 1 Hedgehog depth charge projector, four depth charge projectiles (K-guns) and two depth charge tracks.[6]

The same configuration applied up until the late 1980s when the Philippine Navy removed most of its old anti-submarine weapons and systems, losing its already-limited ASW abilities, but installed three 20 mm Oerlikon guns and four 12.7 mm heavy machine guns, making them lighter and more suited for surface patrols.[2]

The ship was originally powered by two Cooper Bessemer GSB-8 diesel engines, but these were replaced by two GM 12-567ATL diesel engines similar to her sister ships, with a combined rating of around 1,710 bhp (1,280 kW). These were then again replaced in the mid 1990s with two GM 12-278A diesels with a combined rating of around 2,200 bhp (1,600 kW) driving two propellers. The main engines can propel the 914-ton (full load) ship to a maximum speed of around 16 knots (30 km/h).[1]

Ships in class

Ship name Bow number Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Service Status
BRP Datu Tupas PS-18 [7] 14 November 1943 5 April 1976 1977 Patrol Force Used as parts hulk for sisterships.
BRP Miguel Malvar PS-19 1 March 1944 7 February 1977 10 December 2021 Offshore Combat Force Decommissioned
BRP Magat Salamat PS-20 [6] 19 March 1944 7 February 1977 10 December 2021 Offshore Combat Force Used as temporary command post in Dinagat Islands as reported in 2021 Dec 28[5]
BRP Sultan Kudarat PS-22 18 May 1943 22 July 1976 5 July 2019 [8] Offshore Combat Force Capsized at Sangley Point, Cavite
BRP Datu Marikudo PS-23 18 March 1944 5 April 1976 9 December 2010 [9] Patrol Force Sold for scrap; equipment stripped as spare parts
BRP Cebu PS-28 10 November 1943 2 July 1948 1 October 2019 Offshore Combat Force Capsized at Sangley Point, Cavite.
BRP Negros Occidental PS-29 24 February 1944 2 July 1948 9 December 2010 [9] Patrol Force Sold for scrap; equipment stripped as spare parts
RPS Leyte PS-30 20 June 1944 2 July 1948 1979 Patrol Force Grounded and lost in 1978.
BRP Pangasinan PS-31 24 April 1943 2 July 1948 1 March 2021 Offshore Combat Force Sunk as target for SINKEX phase of Exercise Balikatan 2023 on 26 April 2023.[10]
BRP Iloilo PS-32 3 August 1943 2 July 1948 September 2016 [11] Offshore Combat Force Weapons, machinery & electronics stripped for spare parts; hull awaiting disposal
RPS Samar PS-33 [12] 20 November 1943 24 May 1948 1960 Patrol Force After Decommissioning from Philippine Navy, she was transferred to the Bureau of Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1960.She was renamed RPS RESEARCH and served with BCGS until 1975 and eventually returned to the Philippine Navy and Probably Scrapped. Source: NAMRIA INFOMAPPER July 2001 issue and CDR Mark R Condeno
  • BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19)
    BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19)
  • BRP Pangasinan (PS-31) at CARAT 2011-Philippines
    BRP Pangasinan (PS-31) at CARAT 2011-Philippines
  • RPS Samar (M-33) flying Philippine colors but still wearing U.S. Navy hull number circa 1948.
    RPS Samar (M-33) flying Philippine colors but still wearing U.S. Navy hull number circa 1948.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i DLSU N-ROTC Office. Naming and Code Designation of PN Vessels Archived 2011-09-28 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h GlobalSecurity.org PS Miguel Malvar Class Archived 22 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b c Jane's Fighting Ships 2004-2005
  4. ^ NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive Quest (AM-281) Archived 2011-06-06 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ a b "WW2 corvette to serve as command post in Dinagat relief ops: Navy". Philippine News Agency. 28 December 2021.
  6. ^ a b NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive. Gayety (MSF 239) ex-AM-239 Archived 2008-05-31 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ^ NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive. Shelter (MSF 301) Archived 2008-07-05 at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ^ "Work Boat World Maritime Security Vessel Orders and Deliveries Roundup – May 25, 2022". 25 May 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Philippine Navy in the News: 3 World War II barko ng Navy, pinagretiro na". 9 December 2010.
  10. ^ Sadongdong, Martin (26 April 2023). "AFP, US counterpart's live fire drill a success as mock vessel sinks off Zambales". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  11. ^ MaxDefense Philippines BRP GREGORIO DEL PILAR MISSES CONTINUOUS MAINTENANCE AVAILABILITY, EMPHASIZES NEED OF PHILIPPINE NAVY FOR MORE WARSHIPS Archived 2018-03-24 at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ^ NavSource Online: Mine Warfare Vessel Photo Archive. Project (AM 278) Archived 2008-05-02 at the Wayback Machine.

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