MANILA – The Philippine Navy (PN) on Thursday said its second missile-frigate, the prospective BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), has already conducted its first sea acceptance trials last September 24 to 29 that yielded “satisfactory” results.
“FF-151 has already conducted first sea acceptance trials from September 24 to 29 in Ulsan waters,” said PN public affairs office chief, Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas, in a message to the Philippine News Agency.
“The following systems were tested (as) satisfactory: propulsion systems, auxiliary machinery, electrical system, and hull structure,” she added.
Roxas said the ship’s second sea acceptance trials are tentatively scheduled in November.
Sea trials are the last part of the construction or repair process which determines the vessel’s seaworthiness.
In the case of BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), the Navy’s first missile-frigate, its second sea acceptance trials consisted of testing the ship’s propulsion console, freshwater generator, and steering gear while its propulsion system was checked for vibration.
Also tested was the vessel’s turning circle at design speed.
BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) was launched on Nov. 8, 2019, at the Ulsan facility of South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries.
Its keel-laying on May 23, 2019, coincided with the launch of BRP Jose Rizal.
The contract for the BRP Jose Rizal and the BRP Antonio Luna was placed at PHP16 billion with another PHP2 billion for weapon systems and munitions.
These ships are capable of conducting anti-air warfare (AAW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and electronic warfare (EW) operations.
Earlier, PN chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said the BRP Antonio Luna could have been delivered this October if not for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.”If not for this Covid-19 pandemic, the second frigate (FF-151) should have been delivered by October this year but because of this pandemic, it will be moved to the first quarter of Calendar Year 2021,” Bacordo earlier said in an online forum. (PNA)