Test-firing of BRP Ramon Alcaraz successful

MANILA, Philippines - The BRP Ramon Alcaraz, the former US Coast Guard cutter turned over to the Philippine Navy, successfully test-fired its main weapons system off the coast of Florida on Tuesday, the Philippine embassy in Washington said.

“We have successfully test-fired our Oto Melara gun with a high degree of accuracy,” the embassy quoted Capt. Ernesto Baldovino, commanding officer of the Alcaraz as saying. “This weapons system is very reliable.”

Baldovino, in his report to Capt. Elson Aguilar, Defense and Naval Attaché at the embassy, said the Alcaraz’s Italian-made Oto Melara, a rapid-fire cannon that can shoot as many as 80 76-mm rounds per minute, fired 15 rounds – three to calibrate the cannon and 12 rounds at floating targets some two to three miles away.

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

Baldovino reported the Oto Melara, the ship’s main gun, had a “high degree of accuracy.”

Aguilar added the cannon did not misfire during the test firing that was conducted from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

According to Aguilar, the test firing of the Oto Melara took place in the Atlantic Ocean, three and a half hours after leaving Mayport, Florida, where it arrived early Tuesday to load ammunition.

Aguilar said the Alcaraz is now proceeding to the Panama Canal to start its almost two-month journey in the Pacific to the Philippines.

Philippine Navy spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said the test firing of the cannon went well without any hitches.

“The result was satisfactory… everything went well without misfire,” he said.

Fabic added the gas turbine’s main propulsion system of the ship had attained the speed of 25 knots with satisfactory result.

The Alcaraz left Charleston, South Carolina on Monday, more than a year after it was acquired from the US Coast Guard.

Aside from Mayport and Panama, the Alcaraz has port calls in San Diego, California; in Honolulu, Hawaii and Guam before finally sailing home to Manila.

The ship is expected to arrive in the Philippines in August and may be commissioned in September. Upon arrival in the Philippines, Alcaraz will be dry-docked at Subic Bay for repainting.

 The Alcaraz, which can accommodate up to 180 personnel, was named after Commodore Ramon Alcaraz, a Navy officer who commanded a patrol boat during World War II.    – Pia Lee Brago, Alexis Romero