New Phl warship's cannon found accurate in test-fire

MANILA, Philippines - The Embassy of the Philippines in Washington announced a "successful" test-fire of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz's main weapon system off the coast of Mayport, Florida early Wednesday.

“We have successfully test-fired our Oto Melara gun with a high degree of accuracy ... This weapons system is very reliable,” Alcaraz commanding officer Captain Ernesto Baldovino of the Philippine Navy said in a statement.

According to a report by the embassy's defense and naval attaché Captain Nelson Aquilar, the Oto Melara naval artillery piece was fired 15 rounds—three to calibrate the canon and 12 directed at floating targets two to three miles away.

“Captain Baldovino was more than satisfied with how the Oto Melara performed,” Aguilar said.

Aguilar added that the cannon did not misfire during the test-firing activity in the Atlantic Ocean held at 2:00 to 4:00 am, Wednesday (Manila time). As a weapon, the Alcaraz's Oto Melara can shoot as many as 80 76-mm rounds per minute.

The Alcaraz is currently making its way through the Panama Canal, and is expected to reach Manila within the first week of August. It will start its service to the Philippine Navy in September.

The country's newly refurbished warship was on its way to Manila in a two-month journey, while making stops at Mayport, Panama, San Diego, Honolulu and Guam.

Related story: New warship sets sail to Manila

The Philippines' Ambassador to the United States Joey Cuisia told the Alcaraz's crew to defend the country's territorial sovereignty amid the ongoing dispute with its neighbors over some islands.

The Philippine embassy in Washington's video release of BRP Ramon Alcaraz's departure from South Carolina.

"We are all aware that there are currently some tensions in the West Philippine Sea and this will surely put you in harm's way, but we hope that there will not be any confrontation, but at the same time I am confident that you will defend Philippine territory if needed," Cuisia said in the video.