BRP Tarlac (LD-601)

BRP Tarlac (LD-601) is the lead ship of her class of landing platform docks in service with the Philippine Navy. She is the second ship to be named after the Philippine province of Tarlac, one of the provinces considered to have significant involvement in the Philippine Revolution of independence against Spain.

BRP Tarlac anchored off Sangley Point in Cavite in March 2019
 Philippines
Name: BRP Tarlac
Namesake: Province of Tarlac
Ordered: 29 August 2013
Builder: PT PAL Indonesia
Laid down: 5 June 2015
Launched: 18 January 2016
Commissioned: 1 June 2016[1]
Identification:
Status: In active service
General characteristics
Class and type: Tarlac-class landing platform dock
Displacement:
  • Standard: 7,200 tons
  • Full load: 11,583 tons
Length: 123 m (403.5 ft)
Beam: 21.8 m (71.5 ft)
Draft: 5 m (16.4 ft)
Installed power: 1 x MAN D2842 LE301 diesel generator
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • Cruising: 13 kn (24.1 km/h; 15 mph)
  • Maximum: 16 kn (29.6 km/h; 18.4 mph)
Range: 9360 nmi (17334.7 km)
Endurance: 30 days
Boats & landing
craft carried:
  • 2 × LCU or LCM at floodable well decks
  • 2 × RHIB or LCVP at boat davits
Capacity: 500 troops plus associated vehicles and equipment
Complement: 121 crew
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Furuno X-band & S-band navigation radars
  • Combat management system (planned)
  • Surface search radar (planned)
  • Air search radar (planned)
  • Electro-Optical Fire Control System (planned)
Electronic warfare
& decoys:		 Electronic Warfare Suite (planned)
Armament:
  • 1 × 76mm main gun on the foredeck (FFBNW)
  • 2 × 25mm secondary guns, one each on the port and starboard sides (FFBNW)
  • 6 x .50cal (12.7mm) guns
Aircraft carried: 1 × AW109E Power naval helicopter
Aviation facilities:
  • Hangar for 1 medium (10-ton) helicopter
  • Flight deck for 2 medium (10-ton) helicopters

History

The ship was laid down by the PT PAL shipyard in Surabaya, Indonesia on 5 June 2015,[2] and was launched on 17 January 2016.[3] It underwent sea trials,[4] part of it done during its delivery from Indonesia to the Philippines on May 2016.[5] It was formally welcomed in ceremonies last 16 May 2016, and was commissioned into service with the Philippine Navy on June 1, 2016.

Collision incident

While deployed to support anti-Abu Sayyaf blockade operations in Mindanao, BRP Tarlac suffered a collision on the night of 19 September 2016. According to the reports,[6][7] she was at anchored off 1,000 yards south of Ensign Majini Pier at Naval Station Romulo Espaldon, Zamboanga City when MT Tasco, a Liberian registered tanker drifted into the path of the ship, resulting in a collision before 8pm. There were no reported casualties and she sustained minor damages to the bow.

Another incident took place when BRP Tarlac collided with BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (FF-15) in Pier 15, South Harbour, Manila.

Operational history

During the second week of May 2018, the BRP Tarlac transported the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Masidlawin class of 2020 to Cagayan de Oro City.[8]

Marawi Siege

During the Marawi War, the ship was used as a launch platform for the AW109's that conducted air strike at enemy positions. It was also used to send and retrieve Naval Special Warfare Group attack crafts.[9]

Benham Rise Commemoration

In the third week of May 2018, the BRP Tarlac participated in the commemoration for the awarding of the Benham Rise by the United Nations (UN) Tribunal and renaming it to Philippine Rise by hosting the one hundred twenty-six (126) Filipino divers from uniformed agencies and civilian volunteers who installed an underwater flag marker at the shallowest point of the rise.[10]

Maritime Training Activity Sama Sama
BRP Tarlac (LD-601) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (FF-16) sail in formation during the at-sea portion of Maritime Training Activity (MTA) Sama Sama 2018.

In July 2018, the BRP Tarlac participated in the Maritime Training Activity (MTA) Sama Sama at Naval Station Ernesto Ogbinar in Pampanga with the US Navy (USN) along with the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (FF-16) Frigate. The USN sent the USNS Millinocket (T-EPF-3) Transport Ship, USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52) Salvage Ship and a P-8 Poseidon Aircraft for the exercise.[11]

Historic Port Calls
  • Russia

BRP Tarlac made the Philippine Navy's first-ever port-call to the Russian Federation on 17 September 2018. The port visit to the Russian Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok was estimated to take eight–ten days but the actual visit lasted five days.[12] Afterward, it also participated in the International Fleet Review in Jeju, South Korea.[13] Escorted by both Beijing's China Coast Guard and Tokyo's Japan Coast Guard while near the mutually-claimed Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands,[14] the BRP Tarlac reached Russian waters on 1 October 2018 and was escorted by the Russian Albatros-class anti-submarine vessel Sovetskaya Gavan (P-350).[15]

  • South Korea

After the BRP Tarlac's 9 October 2018 departure from Vladivostok, the vessel arrived in the Republic of Korea (South Korea)'s Jeju Island for the first time in 12 October 2018. On board the ship was a 300-man naval contingent composed of the Naval Special Operations Group, Philippine Marine Corps, Technical and Administrative Services, Naval Reserve Command, and a Helicopter Detachment Afloat from the Naval Air Group. Participation in the International Fleet Review and the Western Pacific Naval Symposium were on the agenda.[16]

  • USS Wasp (LHD 1) and BRP Tarlac (LD 601) conduct amphibious operations during Balikatan 2019
  • BRP Tarlac (LD 601) conducts amphibious operations during Balikatan 2019 with photo taken from USS Wasp (LHD 1)
  • BRP Ramon Alcaraz (FF16) and BRP Tarlac (LD 601) from the USS Wasp (LHD 1) during Balikatan 2019
  • USS WASP (LHD 1) operations during Balikatan 2019
  • Balikatan 2019 operations with USS WASP (LHD 1)

References
  1. Ridzwan Rahmat (3 June 2016). "Philippine Navy commissions first SSV, three landing craft on 118th anniversary". Jane's. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  2. Ridzwan Rahmat (9 June 2015). "PT PAL cuts steel on second Philippine Navy sealift vessel". Jane's. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  3. "First of 2 new vessels for PH Navy to be launched in Indonesia". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2016-01-19. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  4. "Navy's soon-to-be largest vessel undergoes sea trials". Update.PH. Archived from the original on 2016-01-21. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  5. "LOOK: PH Navy's first strategic sealift vessel". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2016-01-20. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  6. Ridzwan Rahmat (21 Sep 2016). "Philippine SSV sustains damage to bow after collision with product tanker". Jane's. Archived from the original on 22 September 2016. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
  7. "International vessel collides with PHL Navy's BRP Tarlac". GMA News. Archived from the original on 2016-09-22. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
  8. ""PMA's Masidlawin Class Lands in Cagayan de Oro"". ABS-CBN News. Archived from the original on 2018-05-14. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
  9. https://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php/articles/1014579
  10. ""MILESTONE | Commemoration of the Philippine Rise A Success"". Archived from the original on 2018-05-30. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  11. ""US & Philippines Strengthen Alliance with Maritime Training Activity 2018"". Archived from the original on 2018-07-10. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  12. "TPN readies BRP Tarlac for first port call to Russia". Philippine News Agency. 6 September 2018. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  13. "BRP Tarlac leaves for Russia Friday". Philippine News Agency. 20 September 2018. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  14. "Chinese, Japanese coast guard ships 'escort' new PH Navy ship". Philippine News Agency. 26 September 2018. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  15. "BRP Tarlac now in Russian waters". Philippine News Agency. 1 October 2018. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  16. Nepomuceno, Priam (14 October 2018). "BRP Tarlac starts historic SoKor port visit". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.

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