BRP Gregorio del Pilar's main gun tested

MANILA, Philippines - BRP Gregorio del Pilar, the first warship acquired by the Philippines from the United States (US), tested its main gun last Monday in Zambales, the province where the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal is located.

Navy spokesman Lieutenant Commander Gregory Fabic said the test fire of the ship’s 76 mm Oto Melara gun was held off the coast of Olongapo to avoid inflicting damage to fishing vessels.

Fabic, however, clarified that that the test fire was not a ‘show of force’ against China, which has been boosting its maritime presence in the region.

“All the ships of the Philippine Navy conduct test firing once in a while,” he said.

The Panatag Shoal is located 124 nautical miles from the nearest point in Zambales and is well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. 

China, however, has been maintaining its presence in the area since April 10, 2012, when surveillance vessels from Beijing barred the Philippine Navy from arresting Chinese poachers. 

The incursion resulted in the displacement of local fishermen, who view the waters surrounding the shoal as a traditional fishing area.

Fabic said a balloon known as “killer tomato” served as the vessel’s target. The target was placed two nautical miles from the ship.

“The target was hit after five rounds. No assessment will be made since the target was hit so it’s very effective,” Fabic told reporters on Wednesday.

The test fire was held in Zambales since BRP del Pilar was in Subic in preparation for the arrival of BRP Ramon Alcaraz, another vessel acquired from the US, on Friday.

The Philippines acquired BRP del Pilar from the US Coast Guard in 2011 to enhance its territorial defense capabilities. The government spent P450 million for the vessel’s transfer costs. 

The ship is the Navy’s first Hamilton-class vessel and was acquired under the US Foreign Military Sales program. 

The 380 feet-long ship was used by the US Coast Guard for drug and migrant interdiction, law enforcement, search and rescue, living marine resources protection, and defense readiness.

BRP del Pilar’s sister ship, BRP Alcaraz, is expected to arrive in the country on Friday (August 2).

BRP Alcaraz left its homeport in Charleston, South Carolina last June 10 and made port visits to San Diego and Honolulu, Hawaii before sailing for its last stopover in Guam. The government spent about P600 million to acquire the vessel.