MANILA, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine Navy's second frigate will be arriving in the country from the U.S. in February 2013, a senior official said Monday.
Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the ship, to be renamed the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, is being acquired under the U.S. Excess Defense Articles program.
Gazmin said he met with U.S. Pacific Command chief Admiral Samuel Locklear and Locklear assured that BRP Ramon Alcaraz is a better-conditioned watercraft than the BRP Gregorio del Pilar.
BRP Gregorio del Pilar, the first of several ex-U.S. Coast Guard Hamilton-class cutters acquired by the Philippines from the U.S., arrived in the country in August last year.
Gazmin said Philippine Navy personnel are currently undergoing training on the handling of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz.
From 1968 to 2012, BRP Ramon Alcaraz was known as USCGC Dallas and served the U.S. Coast Guard as a high endurance cutter. It was decommissioned on March 30, 2012.
|
