Andrés Bonifacio-class frigate
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Andrés Bonifacio-class frigate |
| Builders: | Lake Washington Shipyard, USA |
| Operators: | Philippine Navy |
| Active: | 0 |
| Retired: | 4 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Andrés Bonifacio class |
| Type: | frigate |
| Displacement: | 1,766 tons standard, 2,800 tons full load |
| Length: | 311.65 ft (94.99 m) |
| Beam: | 41.18 ft (12.55 m) |
| Draft: | 13.66 ft (4.16 m) |
| Installed power: | 6,400 hp (4,800 kW) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × Fairbanks Morse 38D Diesel Engines |
| Speed: | 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h; 20.9 mph) (maximum) |
| Range: | 8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h) |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Armament: |
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| Aircraft carried: | MBB Bo 105 Helicopter |
| Aviation facilities: | Helipad |
The Andrés Bonifacio class is a ship class of four frigates that served with the Philippine Navy from 1976 to the mid-1990s. These ships were formerly used by the US Navy as Barnegat-class small seaplane tenders and by the US Coast Guard as Casco-class Coast Guard High Endurance Cutters. Under the Philippine Navy, the four vessels have undergone upgrades and modification, and were categorized as frigates. During their time, they were considered as the largest Philippine Navy combat ships of her time.
The Barnegat-class small seaplane tenders also served in the US Coast Guard as the Casco-class cutters. These were actually quite interesting little ships, but they get overlooked. The only class of purpose-built small seaplane tenders in the US Navy, they were designed to operate out of small harbors and atolls and had a shallow draft. The fact that the class was very seaworthy, had good habitability, and long range made them well suited to ocean-station duty. Fast, heavily armed and exceptionally versatile, they served in a wide variety of roles during and after World War II.
Seven units were provided by the US Government to the South Vietnamese Navy between 1970 and 1972. On 29 April 1975, with the South Vietnamese government collapsing and North Vietnamese troops entering Saigon; six of the seven ships set sail and later made a rendezvous at Son Island, the last remaining morsel of free South Vietnam. They remained at anchor until 2 May, when they set sail for Subic Bay, still flying the South Vietnamese flag.
Once they arrived in the Philippines, they presented a slight legal dilemma to the USN as in theory they should have reverted to the new “provisional government” in the former South Vietnam. Eventually it was decided that since the United States did not recognize that government, they were nobody’s property, and were sold to the Philippine navy in 1976 to spare the US government from the expense of having to move them out of Subic Bay for disposal. All were in poor condition, the last pair so much that they were beyond economic restoration. In 1979, the entire aft deck on the remaining four was replaced by a helipad for one Bo-105 helicopter, and a 3’3” tub for a displaced aft 40mm mount was added. Final radar fit was AN/SPS-53, AN/SPS-29, and Mk 26.
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Wikipedia