PH sends ship to Australian war games

The BRP Ramon Alcaraz. US EMBASSY FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines sent one of its most capable ships, BRP Ramon Alcaraz, to the biggest Australian war games that will be participated by 12 countries.

The ship was sent off in Subic Bay last Sunday, August 17, to join Kakadu 2014 that will be hosted by Royal Australian Navy from Aug. 25 to Sept. 12 at the Northern Australia Exercise Area.

This will be the second time that the Philippines will send its ship since the exercise started in 1993. The first time it sent its ship was in 1999, while observers were sent in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

Alcaraz was a former US Coast Guard ship of the Hamilton-class which is about four decades old.

The exercise will be participated by 180 personnel from the Philippine Navy which include personnel of the BRP Alcaraz, crew of Navy chopper Agusta Westland – one of the brand new choppers of the Navy, medical team and exercise directorate members.

“PN’s participation is expected to enhance its surface warfare capabilities and interoperability with regional navies. It will also be an opportunity for the PN to enhance cooperation, camaraderie, and good working relationship with the participating navies,” said Ensign John Windy Abing, Kakadu public affairs officer, in a statement.

Kakadu is the largest international maritime exercise hosted every two years by the Australian Navy. It hopes to promote and enhance regional interoperability and cooperation among the participating navies.

Countries that will send its air/water assets other than the Philippines include Japan, New Zealand, Pakistan and Australia while Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Thailand, Vanuatu, South Korea, and India will be sending personnel as observers.

The Philippine Navy’s participation is expected to enhance its surface warfare capabilities and interoperability with regional navies.

Earlier in March, Philippine Navy sent BRP Gregorio del Pilar, Alcaraz’ sister ship, to Indonesia to participate to multilateral naval exercise called Komodo. It was participated in by 16 countries.
 

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