By Priam Nepomuceno/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — The BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39), formerly the South Korean Pohang-class corvette “Chungju” (PCC-762), will sail to the Philippines shortly after handover ceremonies on August 5.
This was disclosed by Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana when sought for updates on the ship Thursday.
“Yes, the BRP Conrado Yap, a Pohang-class donated by the South Korean government will be handed over to the FOIC (flag officer in command, Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad), (Philippine) Navy on August 5 and will sail for the Philippines immediately thereafter. This is a second-hand, refurbished frigate,” he said in a message to the Philippine News Agency.
The South Korean vessel was formally donated to the Philippines in 2014.
In another message, PN spokesperson Captain Jonathan Zata said the BRP Conrado Yap is now undergoing preparations to sail home at Jinhae, Gyeongsang-namdo, South Korea.
He did not give the exact departure time of the ship from South Korea or the port of arrival of the vessel for security reasons.
However, Zata said the BRP Conrado Yap will be escorted home by the strategic sealift vessel, BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602), which is now on its way to South Korea after attending Russian Navy Day celebrations in Vladivostok last week.
“(BRP) Davao Del Sur will sail with her (on the way home). She is on her way now (to South Korea),” he added. Upon arrival and commissioning by the PN, the BRP Conrado Yap will boost the Navy’s anti-submarine and anti-surface capabilities.
The ship was named Conrado Yap to uphold the legacy of a gallant Filipino military leader, who served in the Korean War as part of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea.
Yap was a captain in the Philippine Army and considered as the most decorated Filipino soldier during the Korean War.
He posthumously received a Philippine Medal of Valor, the country’s highest military honor, as well as a US Distinguished Service Cross, for gallantry in action as part of the Tank Company, 10th Battalion Combat Team (10th BCT), Philippine Army.
The ship measures 88.3 meters long, with a beam of 10 meters and draft of 2.9 meters. Displacement is at 1,216 tons full load. The ship is rated for a crew of 118 personnel and can sustain operational presence for 20 days.
The vessel’s Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion configuration of Motor Transport Unit (MTU) diesel engines and LM2500 gas turbine with controllable pitch propellers (CPP) enable the ship to move to a maximum speed of 25 knots to a distance of 4,000 nautical miles.
The ship is armed with two Oto Melara 76mm Oto Melara main guns, a 30mm automatic cannons, anti-submarine torpedoes and variety of sensors, including sonars, and radars.
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