US, PH navies to conduct repair, maintenance of two ships at Subic Bay

Two US Navy guided missile destroyers await joint exercise to begin at the Puerto Princessa Port in Palawan on June 29. More than 1,200 US and Philippine Navy personnel joined the 11 days of exercises that included live-fire drills, tracking and interdiction and patrolling maneuvers in the Sulu Sea off the western Philippine province of Palawan, which lies near the disputed Spratly Islands. AP FILE PHOTO/Xinhua

MANILA, Philippines – Sailors from the United States (US) and Philippine Navies are working hand in hand this week to repair and maintain two of their ships temporarily docked at Subic Bay, the US embassy in Manila said in an announcement.

The embassy said that sailors from the USS Frank Cable (AS-40) and the Philippine Navy flagship BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF15) would be exchanging knowledge and basic engineering and technical skills to improve their ships’ interoperability.

It said the exchanges would include inspections of diesel and gas turbine engines, troubleshooting gunnery systems, and conduct of numerous other repairs to critical shipboard systems.

“They are also swapping their fleet experiences, gaining insights that cannot be found in their vast libraries of technical publications,” it said.

It said the move was made possible by the Acquisition Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) between the two countries, which enables them  to meet material requirements. It said that the Philippine Navy headquarters and the Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) of the US Embassy in Manila worked together to coordinate immediate funding in order to get the necessary repair parts into the hands of the sailors.

The submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS-40) arrived for a 12-day routine port call at Subic Bay Monday, while the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar was obtained by the Philippines in 2011.

The embassy noted that a second cutter, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, is set to arrive in the country in 2013.