PH Navy gets new weapons

The BRP Ramon Alcaraz. US EMBASSY FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Christmas came early for one of the ships of the Philippine as it received new guns to add to its arsenal.

BRP Ramon Alcaraz would be installed with two Mark 38 Model 2 “Bushmaster” 25 millimeter automatic canons, Commander Gregory Fabic, Philippine Navy Public Affairs Office Chief, said Thursday.

He added the new weapons are stored “in a secured location.”

Fabic declined to disclose the location for security purposes.

“What we are waiting for now is the arrival of a team from the United States Coast Guard who would install the guns,” Fabic said.

Joining BRP Alcaraz’s OTO Melara 76 mm naval gun in the middle, the two “Bushmasters” would be fitted at the ship’s starboard, right, and port, left, and would become the ship’s secondary armaments.

Members of the US Coast Guard would install the new guns to avoid the high costs that private shipyards charge.

“Bushmasters” can fire a maximum of 180 25 mm rounds per minute at targets two kilometers away.

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