Japan sends Lifesaving Equipment Systems as Official Development Assistance for the Philippine Army

 
Japan is sending its goodwill to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which is unprecedented considering the Japanese government only lifting the ban on transfer of defense equipment to foreign countries lately.

The Japanese government has sent over 4 sets of Japan Self Defense Force (JSDF) Lifesaving Systems through Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the Philippine government.

Apparently, this is the first time Japan is sending defense equipment to other countries through ODA, although the equipment being granted to the Philippines are more related to Search and Rescue (SAR) and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) rather than warfighting.

According to Japanese sources, the Philippine Army (PA) will be the recipient of these grants of Self-Defense Forces equipment.

The JSDF Lifesaving System Type I container shown here with a JGSDF truck towing it. Photo credits to Objec1's Twitter account.

The JSDF Lifesaving System Type I:

According to Japanese reports, the equipment being transferred to the Philippine Army are called JSDF Lifesaving System Type I. 

These comprise several equipment used in disaster response including motorized cutters, floodlights, jacks, acoustic sensors, rock drillers, lifeboats, and other equipment.

A JSDF Lifesaving System shelter deployed. Photo credits to Wikipedia.

The system can be transported by trucks or helicopters as the system is containerized for easy transport.

These equipment could be used during search and rescue operations right after major disasters or catastrophes as it could help save lives and recover trapped victims, and transport them to safety.

Four sets of the JSDF Lifesaveing System Type I were said to have been shipped to the Philippines starting last February 2021, and have arrived in the Philippines as of March 2021.

MaxDefense Philippines is still trying to identify the totality of the system as it is difficult to find open-source information about JSDF equipment.

We expect the Lifesaving System Type I to include rescue equipment similar to those shown above. Photo of SAR equipment of Philippine Army from DRP Forum.

Japan's Growing Interests to Assist Security Partners:

It is expected that an official handover may happen during Japan's Golden Week holiday from 29 April to 05 May 2021, as Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will visit the Philippines and meet President Rodrigo Duterte. It would be remembered that Prime Minister Suga replaced partymate and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is said to have close relations with Pres. Duterte, after he resigned due to illness.

It is also expected that the meeting between Pres. Duterte and Prime Minister Suga would discuss security issues in the region including China's aggressive behavior in Indo-Pacific Region, and probably discuss Japan's role in countering this.

The Official Development Assistance of JSDF to the Philippine government represents Japan's commitment to support for capacity building and contribution to improving the security capabilities of the Philippines. 

The value may not be huge, as it is said that the JSDF Lifesaving System Type I costs around JPY120 million, but these equipment are often overlooked by the AFP's acquisition programs that are focused more on kinetic and surveillance equipment.

This assistance is also very timely as Japan tries to help like-minded countries and gain influence against a growing Chinese threat in the region.

While unconfirmed, it is possible that this grant may also be related to the recent contract signed between the Philippines' Department of National Defense (DND) and Japan's Mitsubishi Electric Corp. (MELCO) with backing from the Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD) for 4 air-defense radars for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

PAF personnel in Japan to inspect the J/FPS-3ME fixed radar (top) and J/TPS-P14ME mobile radar (above) during technical inspections. Photo credits to DND.

More Japanese Grants to the AFP:

MaxDefense Philippines expects Japan to provide more grants and defense assistance to the AFP, although this would be done more discreetly compared to grants from other security partners of the Philippines like the US, South Korea and Australia.

We are expecting the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) to also provide communications equipment, electronic warfare training and information, and air defense training and doctrine development for the Philippine Air Force although we would not provide more information on this for security reasons.

As part of the Air Surveillance Radar Phase 2 Acquisition Project of the PAF, we are also expecting Japan to have an arrangement for information sharing with the PAF for air defense radar tracking especially in the shared boundaries between Japan and the Philippines were Chinese aircraft operate and use as access to the Western Pacific region.

Some of the new Japanese-made radars are expected to be deployed in the Northern Philippines, right smack where Japan's blind spots are covered.

Map above shows shared border between Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan, as Japanese islands as part of Okinawa Archipelago stretches close to the Batanes and Babuyan Islands of the Philippines. Japan is negotiating for air defense radar info sharing in this region to track Chinese aircraft movement. Credits to original source of map.

These are welcoming developments and signs of strengthening defense cooperation and relations between Japan and the Philippines to support common interests. Despite its past atrocities against the Philippines and other Asian countries, Japan has showed in the past 75 years that it can change for the better.

The grant for HADR equipment is something that would be very helpful especially for a disaster-riddled country like the Philippines. These are equally important items, and are expected to be even  used more often compared to warfighting equipment.

JSDF personnel conducting HADR training with the US military in Japan. Photo credits to DVIDS.

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First release: 20 April 2021
Copyright MaxDefense Philippines

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More on the Philippine Air Force C-130T Acquisition: Is the PAF Acquiring Aerial Refueling Tanker?

The US Embassy released information last January 9, 2015 that the Philippine Air Force has completed a second inspection of two C-130T that are being offered for transfer to the aforementioned armed service. Photos from the US Embassy press release shows the Philippine officials with one of the aircraft with number 022, and was said to be in Joint Reserve Naval Air Station Fort Worth in Texas. The press release also indicated that the Philippine government, through Maj. Gen. Victor Bayani, has already signed the Letter of Offer and Acceptance signifying the approval to procure the inspected aircraft. Expected delivery was placed by 1st quarter of 2016, although no exact month was specified. 

PAF and US officials during the 2nd inspection of C-130T aircraft at Fort Worth, Texas.
Photo taken from US Embassy in the Philippines website.

Upon further checking with open sources, it appears that the said aircraft (#022) is not a US Navy aircraft C-130T as earlier expected, but is a US Marine Corps unit, with tail number 163022, and is actually a KC-130T multipurpose transport-tanker aircraft. It is also assumed that the second aircraft may also be the same type and may come from the same source. A second photo from the press release also showed the interior of one of the aircraft being inspected, and it does not have the updated glass cockpit done on the US Navy C-130T aircraft. Too bad that the photos provided by the US Embassy in the Philippines did not show the wing portion to confirm if the underwing refueling pod are still there.

More photos from the inspection of aircraft no. 022. Note the analog cockpit on the aircraft, whereas the expected US Navy aircraft were already modified to use glass cockpit types.
Photo taken from US Embassy in the Philippines website.

These KC-130T are actually former C-130H aircraft converted to be aerial refueling-capable in support of US Marines air operations. Open sources like C-130.net indicated that the 163022 was built in 1984, and was modified to be able to carry the probe-and-drogue refueling system which is currently used by the US Marines aviation assets like the F/A-18C/D Hornet and AV-8B Harrier as well as CH-53 Super Stallion large helicopter series. This is the same system used by the Saab's JAS-39 Gripen. But this system is different from those used by the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15 Eagle fighters, which uses the Flying Boom system. (More of these can be found in open sources for further information.)

KC-130T "022" with the wing-mounted aerial refueling system on the far end of the wings.
Photo taken from usamimi.info website.

Being KC-130T Means....
For the uninitiated readers, the "K" in the KC-130T designation means it is a tanker-capable aircraft in US military parlance. So it means the Philippine Air Force is acquiring an aerial refueling capable aircraft. BUT it doesn't necessarily mean the PAF is acquiring tanker aircraft.

What's the difference? 

The KC-130Ts (or we can currently call C-130T until further notice) might be aerial refueling-capable aircraft, but it is still unknown and unconfirmed if the deal to acquire them include having the refueling system intact and usable upon the aircraft's hand-over to the PAF. But not having the aerial refueling system does not mean the PAF cannot have them in the future. With the aircraft already made to be capable of such, any future decision by the PAF to return the aircraft to tanker-capable status is very much possible and easy, as compared to other C-130 aircraft without this current capability.

A KC-130 probe and drogue underwing refueling pod. The PAF may opt to have the aerial refueling system retained when they acquire the USMC C-130T.
Photo taken from Wikimedia.

Having them retained, which is very much possible, means that the PAF will be having an added capability of aerial refueling, a first in its history. 


How About Transport Missions?
Being a multi-purpose transport aircraft, it will retain its cargo-carrying capability for other purposes, including Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. This is possible by removing the fuel tank system in the cargo hold, in which the KC-130 can easily be converted from a tanker aircraft to a standard transport aircraft, with almost the same load and space capacity as a regular C-130 Hercules. The underwing refueling pod can remain even when doing transport duties.

The KC-130's fuselage fuel tank, which can easily be carried or removed from the aircraft's cargo space to convert the C-130 from a tanker to a standard transport aircraft. This is the same unit used by the US Navy and US Marine Corps on their KC-130s.
Photo taken from ar-15.net.

Why Need for an Air Refueling Tanker Capability?
The Philippine Air Force currently has no aircraft capable of aerial refueling. But they can use the aircraft to train the organization in tanker and aerial refueling operations in anticipation of future requirements. Training early is actually good as it takes time to learn and master this system, and doing it early gives them this needed time to learn and be capable of using the system well by the time the first aerial refueling receiving aircraft arrive in PAF's inventory. This can be done by having aerial tankers participate to support US military aircraft during joint US-Philippines military exercises like Balikatan, while doing standard military and HADR transport missions. Its rapid fuel transfer system can also be used in ground operations when necessary, which can be both applicable in combat and HADR support operations.

Some of the incoming new assets for the PAF can be specified or modified to be capable of receiving fuel using probe-and-drogue aerial refueling. This includes the Airbus C-295 medium tactical transport aircraft, and probably the KAI FA-50 Fighting Eagle lead-in fighter trainers. Particularly for the FA-50 with its limitations in terms of range, endurance, and load capacity, having the capability of aerial fueling can extend its reach and enable it to carry more at long distances like in the possible conflict areas in the West Philippine Sea. Future maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), airborne early warning & control aircraft (AEWC), and multirole fighters (MRF) that the PAF aspires to acquire in the next few years can also benefit from such capabilities, especially with these assets are also expected to operate in the vast Philippine EEZ and ADZ.

With its small size, MaxDefense believes that the FA-50 Fighting Eagle must be given the capability to refuel on air, with installing a refueling probe system. It is possible that the PAF has already considered this requirement.

So, is the PAF acquiring aerial refueling tankers? Possibly, but still unconfirmed. But even if the PAF won't be getting the aircraft with the aerial refueling system intact, this is the closest they can get from having one, as making them have one is due to the inherent capability the aircraft already have for as long as support and budget is provided. So why not? Here are some examples of which platforms are compatible with the KC-130's probe-and-drogue system:

So let's see, who can use the probe-and-drogue aerial refueling system of the KC-130?
The Gripen can....

...Super Hornets also can use them....
(Photo taken from chinalakealumni.com)

...legacy F/A-18C Hornets also are compatible...
(Photo taken from Wikimedia)

...even the C-295 is OK with it!

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Philippine Coast Guard - Focusing on the Modernization of its Naval and Air Assets

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) previously announced their upcoming modernization program that will improve their capabilities, which includes the acquisition of new assets and equipment including new aircraft, patrol vessels and small boats, construction light houses, installation of coastal surveillance and communications systems, acquisition of rescue equipment, and others. The most recent acquisition plan include patrol vessels from France, wherein there were 2 separate acquisition plans that were brought up last year.

The 54-meter San Juan-class search and rescue vessels are currently the most capable ships in the Philippine Coast Guard. Built by Tenix of Australia, there are 4 ships in service with the PCG since 2000.

Among those in the pipeline are one 80-meter Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) and four 24-meter Inshore Patrol Boats from France, ten 40-meter Multi-Role Response Vessels (MRRV) from Japan, at least 2 large patrol vessels, as well as new helicopters and aircraft. MaxDefense will be focusing on the major materiel acquisition done or being undertaken by the Philippine Coast Guard as part of its modernization effort. 



La Audacieuse-class (P400) Offshore Patrol Vessel:
MaxDefense previously discussed the planned acquisition of a former French Navy La Audacieuse-class (P400) offshore patrol vessel, the ex-La Tapageuse, in another blog entry. Originally planned for acquisition directly from the French government, the deal was not pursued by the Philippine government after the acquisition policies of the government took the PCG too long to confirm the acquisition, and the French government was not in a position to wait for the PCG as well. It was instead sold to French shipbuilder Piriou, which in turn refurbished and sold it to the Gabonese government as part of a larger deal that involves the sale of a brand new 58-meter OPV made jointly by Piriou and DCNS.

The La Tapageuse is now bound for the Gabonese Navy, although there are more La Audacieuse-class ships still available with the French Navy that are expected to be retired soon.

As previously announced by the Philippines' Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), which is the parent ministry of the PCG, the estimated total cost to acquire and refurbish the ex-La Tapageuse was about €6.3 million. This is actually cheap considering that after the refurbishment works, it is expected that the ship can still serve the PCG for 15 years or more. With the La Tapageuse gone, it doesn't mean the end for PCG's quest for a La Audacieuse-class ship as the French Navy is scheduled to retire more of the class from service as they are replaced by newer ships. If the PCG could overcome the delays in approving the acquisition of pre-owned patrol vessels, they could have a chance of getting one, if not several of the ships of the class in the near future.


OCEA OPV 270 83-meter Offshore Patrol Vessel & FPB 72 24-meter Patrol Boats:
Another vessel acquisition program of the PCG that was recently in the limelight was the purchase of brand new French ships, using the budget previously allocated by former President Gloria Arroyo's administration to construct several Ro-Ro ports as part of its "Strong Republic Nautical Highway" project funded mostly by French government loans. With current President Benigno Aquino III overturning the project due to belief of anomalies made by the previous administration, the budget was then used to acquire new patrol vessels and boats for the PCG instead. 

While the decision to divert the loan funds was made early in the Aquino administration, it was only on November 2014 that announcements were publicly made by OCEA confirming that they would be supplying the 80-meter OPV to the PCG as part of a €90 million contract. Being a French-funded loan, it is only right that French shipbuilders be given the chance to supply the boats. OCEA confirmed during the Euronaval 2014 that the PCG will acquire a single 80-meter Offshore Patrol Vessel based on their new OPV 270 design. Although they did not made any announcement in Euronaval 2014, OCEA previously confirmed the acqusition of four 24-meter Patrol Boats based on their proven FPB 72 design by the PCG at Euronaval 2012 event.

According to NavyRecognition, the OPV 270 patrol vessel's hull is made from marine aluminum, with a length of 83 meters, a maximum range of around 4,500 to 8,000 kilometers at 15 knots, an endurance of 30 to 45 days, and a maximum speed of around 26 knots. It has a crew of 44 men, can take from 3 to 6 VIP passengers and 20 passengers. It will be powered by twin diesel engines. From the photos provided in open sources, the ship also has a helicopter deck capable of accepting light to medium-sized helicopters like the Airbus Helicopters Dauphin. This would probably take the role of the PCG's flagship once it enters service until a larger, more capable vessel becomes available.

OCEA's OPV 270 was selected to fulfill a requirement of the PCG for an 80-meter Offshore Patrol Vessel.
Photo taken from OCEA c/o NavyRecognition website.

From its description, it appears to be similar to a US Coast Guard medium-sized cutter of the Famous/Bear-class, although with a shorter range but with less men and probably lighter displacement. This is due to the aluminum material for use to build the ship, which is far lighter than marine steel. But this also means that the ship is prone to collision damage, and may not be used by the PCG on high seas showdown with the China Coast Guard or any other civilian maritime agencies in the region which involves a lot of rough cheek to cheek bumping. Aluminum-made hulls do not have the same structural strength as steel-made hulls, and it would be advisable for the PCG for this ship to avoid such incidents. 

The FPB 72 inshore patrol boat from OCEA.
Photo taken from metermarine.com. 

The FPB 72 inshore patrol boats are smaller boats, also made using aluminum material which is OCEA's specialty. It has a length of 24 meters, and a maximum speed of around 32 knots. Based on its appearance alone, it would probably be used only on waters closer to land and would probably have almost the same characteristics as the Philippine Navy's Jose Andrada-class patrol gunboats which are also at 24 meters long. Aside from the PCG, the FPB 72 was selected by the navies of Suriname and Nigeria for inshore patrol duties.

Since this acquisition came from diverted funds, it would be doubtful if the PCG would order additional units, except if France will continue to provide financial assistance for similar programs in the near future. 



Multi-Role Response Vessels (MRRV) from Japan
A major acquisition project for the PCG also includes the Multi-Role Response Vessels (MRRV), in which the PCG will acquire 10 units to be assigned to its coast guard districts. An ongoing project, it is currently in the bidding stage as required by the Japanese government which provided the funding as part of the Maritime Safety Capability Improvement project of the PCG. The project is worth JPY 18.732 billion (around $187 million).

Currently the bidding was moved from October 30, 2014 to November 14, 2014 due to a number of queries that needs to be cleared from the respective bidders. All bidders are qualified Japanese companies as required by the loan agreement between the Philippine and Japanese governments. As of August 2014, shortlisted candidates for the project to supply 10 MMRV are Japan Marine United Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Niigata Shipbuilding and Repair, Inc., and Sumidagawa Shipyard Co. Inc., all of which have experience in building small to large patrol vessels for the Japan Coast Guard. It is expected that the first vessel will be delivered to the PCG by December 2015, if all goes well according to the DOTC & PCG's plans. Aside from the shipbuilders, the PCG also acquired the services of a Construction Supervision Consultant to assist the PCG in project management works.

There are speculations that the specifications are very close to the Japan Coast Guard's very own Bizan-class 180-ton patrol vessels, although there are no final confirmations yet on the design.
Photo taken from Vessel & Ships Photo Gallery website.

According to the Technical Specifications made available by the DOTC, the ships will have the following details:

- are expected to be at least 40 meters long, but not more than 45 meters long;
- maximum speed of at least 25 knots at 110% maximum continuous output of main engine at half loading condition without sea margin;
- with a range of not less than 1,500 miles at 15 knots;
- an endurance of 7 days;
- will have a complement of 5 officers and 20 crew;
- capable of transporting 15 passengers in addition to the ship complement;
- hull will be deep V-chine mono hull type, made of full welded high tensile steel and aluminum alloy;
- able to withstand flooding of any two contiguous compartments;
- powered by two V-type, 4-cycle high speed marine diesel engines, maximum output of not less than 2,000kW at 110% MCO, with twin fixed pitch aluminum bronze propellers;
- will have a deck crane and a 5-meter RHIB work boat;
- RHIB work boat will have a speed of around 30 knots at 2 persons loading, with portable GPS, spare fuel tank and repair kit;
- the ship will have an external firefighting system, consists of one 2,600 liters/minute water monitor with 50-meter range and remotely operated, and two 1,000 liters/minute water monitor with 30-meter range, and one independent fire extinguishing pump;
- to have day and night surveillance camera, CCD camera / thermal imager with 2-axis stabilizer;
- a VHF radio direction finder;
- a remote-stabilized 2KW Xenon searchlight;
- 200 kHz 600W echosounder;
- an X-band navigation radar and Satcom system;
- a requirement for special spare parts are included.

There were suspicions that the design might be close or derived from the Japan Coast Guard's very own 40-meter patrol vessel of the Bizan-class, but it is still unclear if shipbuilders will be using a current design from the JCG, or they are free to provide a design based on their own interpretation of the technical specifications. 



Large Offshore Patrol Vessels
There are still plans by the PCG to acquire larger offshore patrol vessels, expected to be more than 90 meters in length, and will be larger than any of the current and future ships in its inventory. 

There were previous reports that the PCG was in talks with the Japanese government to acquire two new 90 to 100-meter high endurance vessels, although no further confirmation was made to this. The latest on this was even revealed by the PCG Commandant during ADAS 2014. These were previously requested some years ago but was shelved due to lack of budget, but was being brought back in as the government support to improve the PCG's capabilities might be able to fund these acquisitions.

During the 4th Annual OPV Asia Pacific Conference held last March 2014, the PCG presented its requirements for large patrol vessels in the 80 to 125-meter category. 

Among the requirements brought out by the PCG for their large OPV include the following:
- capable of sustaining speeds of at least 15 knots (full load) and 20 knots (light load);
- accommodate not less than 57 officers and crew (7 officers and 50 crew), and at least 35 passengers (1 VIP, 2 medical officers and 32 survivors);
- can cover a range of not less than 4,500 nautical miles at designed cruising speed;
- capable of operating up to Sea State 5, and could hurdle up to Sea State 6;
- capable of conducting continuous maritime patrol for a period of 10 to 15 days based on its designed patrol speed of 15 knots;
- an overall length between 80 to 125 meters, and breadth of not less than 14 meters;
- powered by two medium-speed marine diesel engines;
- can support helicopter operations and have helicopter deck;
- can carry two high speed RHIB with capacity for 10 people;
- with decompression chamber.

A good example of a coast guard patrol vessel that fits the PCG's technical specifications is the Je-Min-class 1500-ton patrol vessel of the Korean Coast Guard. Although an older model, shipbuilders can always provide new designs that suite the PCG's requirements.
Photo taken from Hyundai Heavy Industries website.

No confirmation was made whether the above specifications apply for the recently signed contract to acquire an OCEA OPV 270, but with the specifications above it appears that it was for a larger vessel, which might be what the PCG earlier requested. Currently, the Japan Coast Guard's large patrol vessels have less breadth than required by the PCG, although it is possible for Japanese shipbuilders to create a specific design derived from existing JCG patrol vessels. Another good example are those from Korea like the Je-Min-class large patrol vessels built by several Korean shipbuilders like Hyundai and Hanjin. This alternative is good considering that Hanjin has a major shipbuilding facility in Subic that can be used instead of building one abroad.

Aside from these requests for new large patrol vessels, there were previous reports that the PCG also tried to acquire old JCG patrol vessels that are scheduled for decommissioning, among them are said to be a couple of Shiretoko-class patrol vessels. But sources indicate that the JCG was planning to extend the lives of these ships in light of the territorial disputes with China and increased government and public moral and financial support to strengthen the JCG.

There were previous attempts to acquire Shiretoko-class ships from the JCG, but did not materialize after the JCG decided to extend the service lives of these large but ageing ships.

Minor Inshore/Coastal Boats Acquisitions:
There were also requirements for 300 units of aluminum-hulled rescue boats, 81 units of rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIB), 90 rubber boats, and 6 personal water crafts (jet-ski). These are minor assets that are expected for use for inshore, coastal, and riverine duties; for humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR), and search and rescue (SAR). The acquisition, all under the DOTC's Procurement of PCG Disaster Response & Rescue Equipment, were separated into several lots, although MaxDefense will only cover the watercrafts involved:
Lot 1 - 50 units of Rubber Boats
Lot 2 - 300 units of Aluminum V-shaped Boats with Outboard Motor
Lot 3 - 81 units of Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boats and 6 units of Personal Watercraft 

This project was later on divided into 3 parts, with the original program continuing as the first part, and covered the watercraft requirements under Lot 2. The second part, which was later renamed as the Php294M Philippine Coast Guard Rescue Equipment project, covered the Lot 1 acquisition. The third part was named as the Php521M Philippine Coast Guard Rescue Equipment project, covers the Lot 3 acquisition. MaxDefense discusses these projects based on how the DOTC & PCG divided the projects, and are as follows:

a. Procurement of PCG Disaster Response & Rescue Equipment:
Originally, this project should cover all the entire watercraft and rescue equipment acquisition of the PCG, but was later on sub-divided due to the need to award the different requirements to different bidders, and the timeline was also considered. Only the Lot 2, or the acquisition of 300 units of aluminum V-shaped boats with outboard motor (OBM) was successfully undertaken in this program.

The PCG selected Propmech's Rescue 550 aluminum v-hulled boat for its requirements. 300 units were procured.
Photo taken from Propmech's official website.

The DOTC provided the technical specifications for the aluminum V-shaped boats, and the summary are as follows:

- Category C in boat design, v-shaped hull and aluminum welded construction;
- a length of between 5 to 6 meters, width between 1.8 to 2.5 meters;
- hull minimum thickness of 3mm, and draft with maximum payload depend on boat design;
- capacity of 10 men, or a maximum payload between 1,200 to 1,500 kilograms;
- with 2,500cd search light, all around navigation light;
- to include 2 paddles and a galvanized trailer with water tight axle;
- powered by 4-stroke EFI fuel injection engine outboard motor, with output of 40hp

The project was awarded on December 2012 to Propmech Corporation under a contract worth Php 202.980 million. Honda Philippines Inc. supplied the 4-stroke outboard motors to Propmech Corp. 

One of the aluminum boats being tested with its Honda 4-stroke engine already installed.
Photo taken from the Manila Bulletin website.

b. Php295M Philippine Coast Guard Rescue Equipment:
A second bidding attempt was made for the remaining unawarded items, which includes the rubber boats, RHIB, and jetskis, but after the project was completed, only the rubber boats and other non-watercraft items were awarded. 40 other rubber boats were already procured earlier, and this specific acquisition fulfilled the total requirement for 90 units.

The DOTC allocated Php 43.5 million for the acquisition of 50 rubber boats, and they released the technical specifications for the rubber boats required with the summary are as follows:

- should be brand new with 5 years warranty and service support;
- the buoyancy tube fabric material should be 1,600 to 2,500 decitex;
- should be colored with International Orange/Red;
- with Quick fit aluminum floor board;
- capacity to carry 9 to 10 men;
- an inside length of between 3.2 to 3.4 meters, an inside width of between 0.8 to 1.0 meter;
- weight carrying capacity of 1,100 to 1,300 kilograms;
- powered by brand new outboard motor with 40hp output.

The bid was won by Propmech Corporation on December 2013, with a contract amount of Php 33.749 million. Zodiac Marine, a well know manufacturer of  high quality utility and sports rubber boats, was chosen by Propmech Corporation, and the first batches were delivered to the PCG immediately. 

Some of the rubber boats supplied by Propmech Corporation, which were manufactured by international brand Zodiac Marine. One of the newly acquired aluminum boats is also in the background.
Photo taken from Dumaguetenews website.

c. Php521M Philippine Coast Guard Rescue Equipment:
The third phase includes the acquisition of the RHIB and the Jet-skis. This is still an ongoing project, and has not yet been award to any bidder as of this blog's writing. The DOTC has released the technical specifications for the RHIB requirements, and the summary are as follows:

- brand new units with 5 years warranty and after sales service;
- suitable for patrol and interception tasks, transportation of crew and equipment, rescue operations, and diving support;
- with a length of between 6 to 7 meters, an overall beam of around 2.3 to 2.6 meters, a draught between 0.50 to 1 meter;
- designed speed of 30 knots with 6-man seating capacity
- a seating capacity of 6 persons and a maximum capacity of 10 persons;
- weight without engine & equipment between 640 to 700 kilograms;
- powered by two outboard motors, output at 90HP, 4-stroke EFI engine;
- Deep V hull configuration, with hull thickness of 5mm, made of fiber reinforced plastic hull for rigid hull construction;
- with two fuel tanks with capacity of 150 liters each;

The Willard Marine Sea Force 670 (above) is at almost the same category as those being specified by the PCG for its RHIB requirements. 

The Personal Water Craft (Jet-ski) specifications are as follows:

- an overall length between 2.5 to 3.5 meters;
- a top speed of 30 to 40 knots;
- sitting capacity for 2 people.

2-seat Jetskis used by the US Coast Guard in a training exercise. Similar crafts are required by the PCG.
Photo taken from Wikimedia.

The Coast Guard Districts that are scheduled to receive the RHIBs and Jet-skis are listed in the Terms of Reference provided on the link.

Following the specifications above, a comparable product example is Willard Marine's Sea Force 670 series, or the larger Sea Force 730 series, as based on the provided specifications of the product. The Philippine Navy and other civilian armed services are long time users of Willard Marine RHIB products, and it is not impossible for their products to be included in the tender. 



Multi-purpose Helicopters:
The PCG also bared plans to acquire several helicopters to beef up its air assets, which are mostly comprised of old MBB Bo-105 helicopters and BN-2 Islander light aircraft. Previous plans by the PCG a few years ago point at acquiring helicopters from then Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters), specifically the EC145 which were to be acquired using German government Official Development Assistance (ODA) funds. 

But recent PCG announcements, like those made by the PCG Commandant within this year points to the acquisition of 7 helicopters from Bell Helicopter Textron, specifically the Bell 412EP. So far no orders have been made, and acquisition of new air assets to complement the Bo-105s in PCG service has already been too delayed. MaxDefense believes that choosing the Bell 412EP is actually a better choice, with the same helicopter model chosen by the Philippine Air Force as its new Combat Utility Helicopters to complement and replace the ageing Bell UH-1H Huey, it is expected that support and maintenance for these birds will be available in the country in the long term.

Bell 412 helicopters of the Turkish Coast Guard.
Photo owned by Kerem Bektas.

Looking Forward...
The Philippine Coast Guard is on the way to expand and modernize its current assets, the force is also increasing their manpower, improving the knowledge and skills of the entire force, enhancing their cooperation with regional and global coast guard organizations, and improving their materiel to increase their detection, interdiction, search and rescue, HADR and law enforcement capabilities. Overall, more needs to be done by the Philippine government, in providing the necessary financial and legal support for the PCG, and allowing them to be a force strong enough to assist in the many security, emergency, and natural calamity challenges the country faces.

MaxDefense also suggests that the Philippine government make use of the PCG to assert its maritime interests and policies, now that most of its neighbors are engaged in a "white versus white" game in areas with conflicting interests like the West Philippine Sea. The PCG has been left behind in almost every aspects by its neighbors like China, Taiwan, Vietnam and Malaysia, and this would be detrimental to the country's national policies. 

The PCG should be the one enforcing the maritime claims and enforcement of Philippine laws in its Exclusive Economic Zone, and must be ready to encounter China Coast Guard ships similar to the photo above.

It's not too late though. Being a civilian agency, it would be easier to fill out the budgetary issues of the PCG due to its access to loans, grants, and other sources that the Philippine Navy would surely envy. The Philippine government, under a strong and supportive DOTC, could actually expand this modernization effort as part of its overall strategy of enforcing its maritime policies in cooperation with the Philippines' Departments of Foreign Affairs (DFA), National Defense (DND), Interior and Local Government (DILG), Energy (DOE), and Agriculture (DA).




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UPDATES:
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April 20, 2015:
The Department of Transportation and Communication has awarded the contract to construct and deliver ten (10) 40-meter Multirole Response Vessels (MRRV) for the Philippine Coast Guard to the Japan Marine United Corporation (JMUC). They submitted the lowest calculated bid of ¥12.79 billion (Php 4.8 billion), which includes "standard spare parts and tools, crew training, ocean transport, and marine insurance". They were up against the bids from other Japanese countries, which are the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Niigata Shipbuilding & Repair Inc., and Sumidagawa Shipyard Co. Ltd.

The ships are expected to have a cruising speed of 16 knots, and a range of 1,500 nmi. No indication yet if the range given is the maximum range, and what the maximum speed is. 

Since the project cost is less than the committed loan the Japanese government will provide, it is still unclear if the loan will cover the entire cost of the project, or if the Philippine government will shoulder part of the costs as originally planned.

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Philippine Navy Interested with US-made SWATH Vessel, and Proposal for Other Alternatives

News of the Philippine Navy showing interest in an Alaskan borough-owned ferry has surfaced recently on several defense forums and groups after news reports from Alaska identified the Philippine Navy as one of the possible buyers. Currently the Matanuska-Susitna (Mat-Su) Borough owns the said vessel, M/V Susitna, and wanted to sell it off.

M/V Susitna during operational testing. Note the cargo hold is lifted during normal cruising.
Photo taken from Vigor Industrial website. 

The M/V Susitna:
M/V Susitna is actually a half-scale prototype for a proposed  Expeditionary Landing Craft (E-Craft) requirement for the US Navy, and was made by Alaska Ship & Drydock using a design from Guido Perla & Associates and concept from Lockheed Martin for the Office of Naval Research in 2010, and costed $78 million to build. It was reportedly planned as a "3-in-1" vessel, being a High Speed Catamaran that uses the SWATH (small waterplane area twin hull) design, with a variable draft system that allows the ship to shift from SWATH mode to barge mode by lowering or raising the center deck which carries the cargo, using an advanced hydraulic system. The ship was also designed with icebreaking capability (the first icebreaking SWATH ship in the world), and has the capability to beach and used on unprepared docks.

The MV Susitna is beachable, which is very important for use on damaged or unprepared docks.
Photo taken from gCaptain website.

Basic specifications of the ship are as follows:
Crew: 5 men
Range: 800nmi @ 16 knots, 1,600nmi @ 10 knots;
Length (overall): 59.54 meters;
Beam (overall): 18.29 meters;
Design Draft: 3.66 meters;
Design Displacement: 940 long tons (955 metric tons);
Maximum Speed: 20 knots;
Propulsion: 4 x MTU 12V4000 M70 (2,435hp each) Diesel Engines;
Radars: Kelvin Hughes Manta 30kw S-band, 10kw X-band;
Depth Sounders: Furuno FE700 echo sounder

The ship's payload details are as follows:
Center Barge (cargo hold): 160' x 35', approx. 5,400ft²  (around 501m²)
Capacity: 35 tons normal load
 * 129 passengers plus 20 standard vehicles or 1 tractor-trailer rig
 * No passenger, 1 M1A1 Abrams tank or multiple smaller combat vehicles

The lower and upper deck plans of the M/V Susitna.
Drawing taken from Mat-Su Borough Purchasing Division RFI document.

Most on the ship's basic specifications can be seen on the link HERE:

Although the ship was being evaluated by the US Navy, it was intended to be used as a civilian ferry for a local Alaskan government unit and service between the city of Anchorage to Port MacKenzie. But the ferry project failed and the ship was left with the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, who currently maintains it until a buyer can be found. It is reportedly being sold for only $6 million, just enough to help the borough pay for their bills and free them of maintenance costs.

The M/V Susitna before launching from Alaska Ship & Drydock's facility in 2010.
Photo taken from Valor Industrial website.

Enter the Philippine Navy:
MaxDefense has been monitoring this development for some time, and so far no confirmation was made by the Philippine Navy or the Philippines' Department of National Defense if they will acquire the vessel or not. So far PN sources confirmed that they have sent representatives to Alaska to inspect the vessel together with US Navy representatives last August 29, 2014. No word yet regarding their findings and evaluation. The presence of US Navy representatives might mean that the ship could be acquired with US Navy or government partcipation either through FMS, or will be possibly be shouldered by the US government under a US defense grant or part of its annual defense aid it gives to the country. No confirmation though on how the acquisition will be done should there be an agreement between the PN and the US government.

According to the PN sources, they are looking at the vessel due to its versatility and capability to deliver men and materiel directly to the beach, or on unprepared docks which are essential features of a capable transport ship during peacetime Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations and military and civilian supply missions, and in support of wartime amphibious operations. Aside from the ship's capabilities, the reported $6-8 million pricetag plus logistics support, training and other expenses, with regards to the technology it possess and its age (the ship is only 4 years old and was barely used), was a major factor of the PN's interest on the ship. Also, the PN sources confirmed to MaxDefense that the budget to acquire the ship, should it happen, will be from other sources and not from the AFP Modernization program. 

It should be remembered that the DND and AFP are looking to increase their HADR capability during the aftermath of the back-to-back disasters the Philippines faced in 2013 (Typhoon Haiyan and Bohol Earthquake), with calls for the AFP to have better capability to quickly respond to emergencies. The situation in the Kalayaan Group of Islands, with the absence of prepared docks and presence of Chinese Coast Guard patrol vessels, make the ship an effective platform for resupply missions. This vessel, if acquired, will be one of these dual-use equipment that can immediately be delivered to the PN should a confirmation be made soon. 

Parts of Samar were destroyed after Typhoon Haiyan hit the island. Unprepared or damaged docks, or beaches similar to that shown in the photo, can still be serviced by ships like the M/V Susitna.

Aside from the PN, there are many other interested buyers on the ship, mostly private corporations and oil companies, so a decision to acquire the ship or not will probably be made in a few months.


MaxDefense's Analysis:
The ship is actually cheap for the technology and capability it possess: a variable geometry, variable draft transport ship that is beachable, with ice breaking capability, and speeds of 20 knots, and almost new and barely used for $6 to 8 million (probably without transfer and other ancillary expenses). Findings during inspection of 3rd party valuation inspector found the ship in excellent condition. And best of all, it is readily available for transfer to whoever buys it. It would be best to compare the ship to its nearest equivalent to the Philippine Navy: the BRP Tagbanua (AT-296).

The BRP Tagbanua (AT-296) (above), the PN's newest transport asset, is the best platform to compare the M/V Susitna as they have almost comparable capabilities.

1. Price and Age:
The M/V Susitna originally costs $78 million in US taxpayer's money to construct, and they're selling it between $6 to $8 million ++ after 4 years of moored in cold Alaskan waters, barely used only for tests and trial runs, and for maintenance. The BRP Tagbanua was acquired by the Philippine Navy for a contract price of Php 178,900,000.00 (around $4.2 million in 2011). Both are almost the same age, with the M/V Susitna only more than a year older, still quite young for a used vessel. Based on this, the Alaskan ship is actually cheap considering that the price is not much different from the locally made and less technologically advanced BRP Tagbanua. It is also worth noting that Tagbanua is also actually cheap if compared to similarly but foreign built vessels of the same class.

Looking at the recent photo of the M/V Susitna above, it really does look immaculate.

2. Speed, Range, and Sea State Level:
The design of the M/V Susitna's hull was supposed to cut through the water more efficiently than standard transport ships, the Tagbanua included. The Susitna's maximum speed of 18 knots is barely higher than the Tagbanua's designed maximum speed of 15 knots, although it is expected that the twin-hull design of the US-made ship is more stable and less drag than the PN's LCU. The catamaran has a designed range of 1,600nmi @ 10 knots and is certified to operate to up to Sea State 3 although there were claims that the ship operated well in higher sea states. No range and sea state certification was found for the AT-296, although it is expected to be in the same range as the catamaran.

3. Payload:
This is where the M/V Susitna fails to beat the BRP Tagbanua. While the Susitna has a larger cargo deck of 501m² compared to the Tagbanua's 250m², the LCU beats in payload capacity as it can carry up to 110 tons of cargo versus the catamaran's measly 35 tons. With the catamaran having a higher displacement than the LCU, the design of heavy icebreaking hull is actually be a disadvantage since there's no use for this capability in tropical waters, while increasing the total weight of the ship and reducing its payload capacity as well.

The BRP Tagbanua's cargo deck is narrow and smaller than that of the M/V Susitna, yet it can carry heavier equipment unlike the catamaran. But the Susitna's capacity is good enough to carry lighter loads.
Photo taken from Rappler.

In this case, the Susitna may not be a good transport vessel for heavy equipment like tanks and bulldozers, although it could be a good asset to carry light vehicles and relief goods, or using the large deck to transport people for short distances. 

4. Fuel Efficiency, Maintenance:
The heavier M/V Susitna is powered by four 2,400hp MTU 12V4000 M70 engines, while the 40% lighter BRP Tagbanua is driven by a single Caterpillar CAT C32 ACERT 1,600hp diesel engine. You decide who drinks more fuel.

With more mechanical parts than a standard military or civilian transport ship, plus the vaunted advanced hydraulic lifting system for the cargo hold, it is also expected that the M/V Susitna may require more maintenance checks, spare parts, and a more complicated maintenance program that equates to more costs. 


Conclusion:
The M/V Susitna is a very nice ship to have, with technological features and extra capabilities that the PN might be happy to have. Technology-wise, having it means access for the PN to study for its self-reliance programs, and with the ship already awaiting a buyer, it is actually the best to have if the need is very immediate. In the case of the PN, they might be in a hurry to acquire an HADR-capable vessel very soon as the super typhoon season is fast approaching. 

Politically speaking, it is also worth looking at the US Navy's involvement in the acquisition. While we do not know how the PN intends to acquire the ship should they be interested, the US Navy might be instrumental to the acquisition, and it might be possible that they would grant the ship just to help the Mat-Su Borough get though with the pain of paying for its continuous upkeep without generating anything for the local government unit.

But it is also worth considering the PN's track record in terms of paying for acquisition and maintenance expenses. At the reported offer price, it is actually cheap, and the national government may already have the budget ready and only awaiting for the PN's approval. But the expected maintenance cost, coupled with the possible high operating cost might be a strong reason for the PN to decline the offer. MaxDefense's proposal is for the PN to only maximize the use of this ship in emergency situations, where money is not an issue when time is of the essence and lives are at stake.

MaxDefense believes that the PN should study this offer very well, although they must do it fast as there are many other possible candidates who might be willing to acquire the ship. 

The Australians have started taking out their Balikpapan-class heavy landing crafts. The PN could take them in if they are still in good condition.
Photo taken from Wikipedia.

Other proposals include the acquisition of other readily-available assets from other sources. The Australians have recently decommissioned their Balikpapan-class heavy landing crafts, which could be sold for cheap due to their age, while the Koreans have already started disposing some of their older landing crafts, with one example already reportedly recently donated to the PN. Also, it is expected that the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) is about to take-out some of their Go Jun Bong-class landing ship tanks to give way to newer ships that are coming in soon. The PN should take advantage of these assets not only to for HADR operations, but also to replace the already delapidated World War II US-made LSTs sisterships of the BRP Sierra Madre that the PN continues to operate. For long term, the PN must continue to acquire new LCUs similar to its BRP Tagbanua, which is said to have some identified flaws that could be rectified in newer derivatives of the ship class.

The PN is scheduled to receive a used Korean-made Landing Craft Utility from the ROKN. There are more of these in ROKN's stocks that are expected to be taken out of service very soon.

The PN should also take a closer look at the Korean Go Jun Bong-class LST to replace the PN's WW2-era LSTs. These are good long term solutions to replace old PN transport assets.
Photo taken from Wikipedia.

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UPDATES:
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September 7, 2014:
A recent news report from the Alaska Dispatch News indicated that the Mat-Su Borough is really in a hurry to dispose the M/V Susitna due to mounting upkeep expenses, and is hoping that the recent visit by Philippine Navy officials will bear fruit. Due to the ship being a previous project by the US Navy, it is expected that any acquisition of the ship by foreign governments may require it to be done through their supervision. 

It was also indicated that should the PN acquire the ship, it would be modified from a day-only vessel to an asset that has provisions for all-day operations, including enclosed passenger compartments for troops or civilian evacuees. This means that the costs of acquiring the ship may go up from the original $6 million, with the additional costs going to logistics support and spare parts, training of ship crew and maintenance teams, modifications based on Philippine Navy requirements, and shipping from Alaska to the Philippines. MaxDefense believes that this would probably double the total acquisition cost of the ship.

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