BRP Mamanwa (LC-294)
History
South Korea
NameLCU-78
OperatorRepublic of Korea Navy
BuilderKorea Tacoma Marine Industries Ltd[1]
Launched12 January 1981[2]
Commissioned1981
Decommissioned24 October 2012[2]
FateTransferred to the Philippine Navy in 2015
History
Philippines
NameMamanwa
NamesakeMamanwa tribe is one of the "Lumad" tribes in Mindanao island
OperatorPhilippine Navy
BuilderKorea Tacoma Shipyard
Acquired2015
Commissioned6 December 2021
Statusin active service
General characteristics
Class and typeMulgae-class
TypeLanding Craft Utility
Displacement415 tonnes (408 long tons) full load[1]
Length41.10 m (134 ft 10 in)[1]
Beam8.8 m (28 ft 10 in)[1]
Draft1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
PropulsionCaterpillar Diesel Marine Engine
Speed13 knots (24 km/h) maximum, 11 knots (20 km/h) cruising speed[1]
Capacity150 tons cargo[1]
Crew14
Armament2 × 50-cal 12.7 mm machine guns

The BRP Mamanwa (LC-294) is a landing craft utility of the Philippine Navy. She was named after the Mamanwa tribe, one of the Lumad tribes in Mindanao Island in the Southern Philippines. She is the sole Mulgae-class landing craft in Philippine Navy service.

Transfer, repair and commissioning

The former ROKN Mulgae-class (Furseal-class) landing craft utility of the Republic of Korea Navy, the LCU-78, was built by Korea Tacoma Shipyard in South Korea and was launched on 12 January 1981,[2] and was commissioned on the same year. The class was based on the LCU-1610 design from American shipbuilder Tacoma Boatbuilding Company.

LCU-78 was decommissioned on 24 October 2012,[2] and was stored in a naval base in South Korea. The retired landing craft was among those committed by the South Korean Government for transfer to the Philippines in 2014, together with 16 rubber boats and 200 computers.[3]

It was confirmed to have been received by the Philippine Navy by 2015, based on photos of the boat in the Philippine Navy's Sangley Point Naval Base that circulated online.

The ship was originally deemed beyond economical repair by the Philippine Navy in 2016, and was kept at Sangley Point Naval Base, until a decision to repair it was made in 2018. A tender was opened in 2018 for the repair of "LCU ROK 78",[4] but underwent several failures until a winning shipbuilder was awarded to start the works.

The newly repaired landing craft was handed-over to the Philippine Navy in 2021 and was commissioned on 6 December 2021 as the BRP Mamanwa (LC-294).[5]

The ship was assigned with the Philippine Fleet's Sealift and Amphibious Force.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Saunders, Stephen: Jane's Fighting Ships 107th Edition 2004-2005. Jane's Information Group Ltd, 2004.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "LOOK: PH Navy commissions vessel from South Korea". Rappler. 2021-12-14. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  3. ↑ "PH Navy to get ship, rubber boats from South Korea". Rappler. 2014-06-04. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  4. ↑ "The Philippines Navy has reposted an Invitation to Bid (ITB) through the PITC for the repair of the former ROKN Mulgae-class Landing Craft Utility LCU-78". MaxDefense Philippines. 2018-11-12. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  5. ↑ "PH Navy retires 2 ships in service for 44 years". Inquirer.net. 2021-12-10. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
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