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BRP Bacolod City (LC-550)
Encyclopedia
The BRP Bacolod City (LC-550) is the lead ship of two Bacolod City class of Logistics Support Vessels, and is based on a helicopter capable variant of the US Army's Frank S. Besson
Frank S. Besson, Jr.
Frank Schaffer Besson, Jr., CBE was born on May 30, 1910 in Detroit, Michigan. His father was a West Point graduate and an officer in the Corps of Engineers . Frank S. Besson, Jr. graduated seventh in his class from the United States Military Academy in 1932. In 1935, he received a master's...
class. She is also considered as one of the most modern transport ships in the Philippine Navy
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy is the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, literally, "Sea Force of the Philippines"....
, having been commissioned during the early 1990s.
History
The BRP Bacolod City was built by Halter/Moss Point Marine of Escatawpa, MississippiEscatawpa, Mississippi
Escatawpa is a census-designated place in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,566 at the 2000 census.-History:...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and was commissioned into Philippine Navy
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy is the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, literally, "Sea Force of the Philippines"....
in 1993. Both ships of its class were purchased brand-new by the Philippine government through the FMS program of the United States. Since its commissioning, both ships of its class were rigorously used in military and peacetime operations, and has been joining joint military exercises with foreign navies as well.
Presently it is assigned with the Service Force of the Philippine Fleet.
Technical details
The ship is powered by two General MotorsGeneral Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
-EMD
EMD
- Music :* E.M.D., a Swedish band* The Explorations in Music and Dance / EMD Network, represents diverse higher education institutions of dance and music in Greenland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania with additional institutional partners in the European...
16-645EZ6 diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s with a combined power of around 5,800 hp driving two propeller
Propeller
A propeller is a type of fan that transmits power by converting rotational motion into thrust. A pressure difference is produced between the forward and rear surfaces of the airfoil-shaped blade, and a fluid is accelerated behind the blade. Propeller dynamics can be modeled by both Bernoulli's...
s. The main engines can propel the 1,400 ton (4,265 tons full load) ship at a maximum speed of around 12 knots (24 km/h). At a sustained speed of 10 knots (20 km/h), it range is at around 8300 nautical miles (15,371.6 km).
As an amphibious transport, it is fairly armed for defensive purposes, and carries two M2 12.7mm machine guns at the front side decks, and two Mk.10 Oerlikon
Oerlikon Contraves
Rheinmetall Air Defence AG is a division of German armament manufacturer Rheinmetall, created when the company's Oerlikon Contraves unit was renamed on 1 January 2009 and integrated with Rheinmetall's other air-defence products...
20 mm cannons near its two LCVP
LCVP
The Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel or Higgins boat was a landing craft used extensively in amphibious landings in World War II. The craft was designed by Andrew Higgins of Louisiana, United States, based on boats made for operating in swamps and marshes...
s.
The prime mission of the ship is the direct transport and discharge of liquid and dry cargo to shallow terminal areas, remote under-developed coastlines and on inland waterways.
The ship does not require external cranes or port facilities, and even in only four feet of water under full load, the ship is still able to land. This capability expands the choice of landing locations, and at the same time reduces the potential enemy impact on the logistics support operations.
The ships have a capacity to transport up to 48 TEU or 2,280 tons vehicles/general cargo, or up to 900 tons on Logistics Over The Shore (LOTS) / amphibious operations. Its ramps and the main deck are able to withstand roll-on/roll-off operations of even heavy main battle tank
Main battle tank
A main battle tank , also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the heavy direct fire role of many modern armies. They were originally conceived to replace the light, medium, heavy and super-heavy tanks. Development was spurred onwards in the Cold War with the development...
s.
Exercises
Bacolod City joined BRP Juan Magluyan (PG-392)BRP Juan Magluyan (PG-392)
The BRP Juan Magluyan is one of the Jose Andrada class coastal patrol boats of the Philippine Navy. It is part of the third batch of its class ordered in 1995, and was commissioned with the Philippine Navy on July 1998. She is currently assigned with Naval Forces West in Puerto Princesa,...
and BRP Artemio Ricarte (PS-37)
BRP Artemio Ricarte (PS-37)
The BRP Artemio Ricarte is one of the three Jacinto class of corvettes, and are considered as one of the most modern ships in the Philippine Navy. She was originally called HMS Starling during her service with the Royal Navy...
and the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group during the sea exercise phase of the RP-US Balikatan 2008 on February 2008.
On 19-23 July 2011, BRP Bacolod City together with BRP Quezon (PS-70)
BRP Quezon (PS-70)
The BRP Quezon is one of two Rizal class ships in service with the Philippine Navy. She is formerly an ex-USN Auk class minesweeper that were produced during World War II, and is now classified as a patrol corvette protecting the vast waters of the Philippines...
was part of Amphibious Exercise PAGSISIKAP 2011 held in Manila Bay
Manila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
.
Deployments
The Bacolod City together with BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS-35)BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS-35)
The BRP Emilio Jacinto is the lead ship of the three Jacinto class of corvettes, and are considered as one of the most modern ships in the Philippine Navy. She was originally called HMS Peacock during her service with the Royal Navy...
under Naval Task Group 80 will be part of 262-member contingent representing the Philippine Navy in the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition 2011 from 6-10 December 2011 in Langkawi
Langkawi
Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah is an archipelago of 104 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border...
, Malaysia.