Navy’s missile firing frigate undergoing sea acceptance trial

December 14, 2020

The second missile firing frigate of the Philippine Navy (PN) is undergoing a week long sea acceptance trial (SAT) prior to its delivery in the first quarter of 2021.

Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas, acting Philippine Navy public affairs  director, said "the Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas Antonio Luna (FF151), the 2nd and final frigate in the P16 billion PN Frigate Acquisition Project, departed for Hyundai Shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea at 11 am today for a weeklong SAT."

Captain Sergio Bartolome, a Navy officer supervising the frigate acquisition project, said the SAT will focus on "the various weapons and sensors with the objective of showcasing the full combat capability of FF151."

The Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee (TIAC) for the project headed by Rear Admiral Alberto Carlos, the AFP deputy chief of staff for logistics, is joining the SAT to check vessel performance against the agreed technical specification and warfare capabilities.

According to Carlos "90.1 percent of the agreed acceptance tests have already been performed with satisfactory results".

"Upon completion of this week's SAT, the completion rating is expected to go up to almost 100 percent, which will pave the way for FF151's re-docking and final outfitting prior delivery in February next year," he said.

It can be recalled that last August, Navy chief Vice Adm. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said the arrival of BRP Antonio Luna will be delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are expecting the delivery of the 2nd frigate that is the BRP Antonio Luna, 1st quarter calendar year 2021, if not for this COVID-19 pandemic this second frigate should have been delivered October of this year," he said. Robina Asido/DMS