The BRP Ramon Alcaraz finally reaches the US West Coast and docks in San Diego Naval Base, California on June 29, 2013 (Philippine time zone). The ship started her journey to the Philippines from US Coast Guard Base in Charleston, South Carolina on June 10, 2013 with a planned cruising speed average of around 12 knots.
After a brief testing of her 76mm Oto Melara Compact main guns just off the coast of Florida on June 11, 2013, firing 3 rounds to calibrate the gun, and firing 12 rounds on a "killer tomato" target floating balloon at around 2 to 3 miles away.
A video of the ship leaving Charleston and the weapons testing is shown here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x02FBpMNNuo
The BRP Ramon Alcaraz headed to the entrance of Panama Canal for a historic crossing towards the Pacific Ocean side. She started the Panama Canal crossing on June 17, 2013.
The ship also made a short stop at Balboa, Panama for refueling on June 18, 2013, afterwards continuing its journey to San Diego, California from June 19, 2013 and docking at the US Navy's San Diego Naval Base on June 28. A photo released by SeaWaves Magazine (see below) shows the Ramon Alcaraz docked beside the JMSDF amphibious vessel JDS Shimokita (LST-4002), which participated in the recently concluded Dawn Blitz 2013 exercises (covered here at MaxDefense, "Japan Joints US Dawn Blitz 2013 Amphibious Exercises - What's in it for the Philippines?")
BRP Ramon Alcaraz will be in San Diego for a few days, and will finally leave the North American mainland for Hawaii for a scheduled stop-over at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
MaxDefense will update the BRP Ramon Alcaraz's journey to the Philippines, until it reaches Manila Bay which is tentatively scheduled on the 1st week of August, 2013.
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| The BRP Ramon Alcaraz leaving the US Coast Guard Base in Charleston, South Carolina on June 10, 2013. Photo take from Philippine Embassy in Washington c/o Elmer Cato. |
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| A "killer tomato" similar to the one above was used as a floating target by the BRP Ramon Alcaraz in its gun testing off the coast of Florida. Photo taken from US Navy website. |
A video of the ship leaving Charleston and the weapons testing is shown here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x02FBpMNNuo
The BRP Ramon Alcaraz headed to the entrance of Panama Canal for a historic crossing towards the Pacific Ocean side. She started the Panama Canal crossing on June 17, 2013.
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| The BRP Ramon Alcaraz crossing the Panama Canal. Photo taken from Timawa.net forum c/o Sarry15 using PanCanal.com webcam |
The ship also made a short stop at Balboa, Panama for refueling on June 18, 2013, afterwards continuing its journey to San Diego, California from June 19, 2013 and docking at the US Navy's San Diego Naval Base on June 28. A photo released by SeaWaves Magazine (see below) shows the Ramon Alcaraz docked beside the JMSDF amphibious vessel JDS Shimokita (LST-4002), which participated in the recently concluded Dawn Blitz 2013 exercises (covered here at MaxDefense, "Japan Joints US Dawn Blitz 2013 Amphibious Exercises - What's in it for the Philippines?")
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| The BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16) docked at the San Diego Naval Base, just beside the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Ship JDS Shimokita (LST-4002). Photo taken from SeaWaves Magazine. |
MaxDefense will update the BRP Ramon Alcaraz's journey to the Philippines, until it reaches Manila Bay which is tentatively scheduled on the 1st week of August, 2013.
