Philippine Navy press release
The Philippine Navy formally commissioned into service and subsequently deployed to their designated areas of operations the two brand-new, Fast Attack Interdiction Crafts, BRP Nestor Acero (PG901) and BRP Lolinato To-ong (PG902) at the Commodore Divino Pier in PN headquarters on November 28, Monday.
The Executive Secretary, retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin, witnessed this historic event as the Guest of Honor and Speaker. He was joined by Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff, LtGen Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, Navy Chief, RAdm Toribio Adaci Jr., key AFP officials, the Israeli delegation led by Ambassador of Israel in the Philippines, H.E. Ilan Fluss and representatives of Israel Shipyards and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
Secretary Bersamin hailed the PN “for its efforts to capacitate itself for a stronger defense capability to fulfill its mandate to defend our maritime nation against threats and intrusions”, and considered this event as a milestone that “makes not only our sailors and marines proud but our countrymen would feel more secure with acquisition and use of these assets.”
Lucas Bersamin, The Executive Secretary
The brand-new Acero-class Patrol Gunboats are the Shaldag Mark Five fast patrol crafts ordered from Israel Shipyards. They measure more than 32 meters long and have a maximum speed of above 40 knots. All platforms will be armed with one Typhoon Machine Gun System mounted with a 30-millimeter cannon and two Mini-Typhoon Machine Gun System as secondary guns, while four of the nine platforms will be fitted with the Spike Non-Line-Of-Sight Missile System.
