BRP Leyte (LD-604)
 Philippines | |
|---|---|
| Name | BRP Leyte |
| Namesake | Philippine province of Leyte |
| Ordered | 20 July 2022 |
| Builder | PT PAL Indonesia |
| Laid down | scheduled July 2026 |
| Launched | scheduled early 2027 |
| Status | Under construction |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Tarlac-class Flight II landing platform dock |
| Displacement | Standard: 7,200 tons |
| Length | 124 m (406 ft 10 in) |
| Beam | 21.8 m (71.5 ft) |
| Height | 21.8 m (71 ft 6 in) |
| Draft | 6.7 m (22 ft 0 in) |
| Installed power | 4 × diesel generators |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) @ 85% MCR |
| Range | 9,360 nmi (17,330 km; 10,770 mi) @ 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) cruising speed |
| Endurance | 30 days (crew), 15 days (full) |
| Boats & landing craft carried | |
| Capacity | 500 troops plus associated vehicles and equipment |
| Complement | 121 crew (including air crew) |
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
| Electronic warfare & decoys |
|
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 2 x 10-ton naval helicopter, several VTOL unmanned aerial vehicles |
| Aviation facilities |
|
The Leyte (604) is a new 124-meter Landing Platform Dock that is scheduled for delivery and commissioning with the Philippine Navy as the BRP Leyte (LD-604). Thd ship is being constructed by PT PAL Indonesia for the Philippine Navy's Landing Dock Acquisition Project as part the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program's Horizon 2 phase.
The ship is based on improve sub-class of the previously commissioned Tarlac-class, which was also constructed by PT PAL.[2]
The ship's name was not formally announced by both PT PAL and the Philippine Navy, but was identified as Leyte from a news report.[3]
Development
Concept Design
The Philippine Navy included plans to procure 2 new landing platform docks as part of its Horizon 2 modernization phase, with the proposal with a budget of PHP5.56 billion among those approved in-principle by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in June 2018.[2][4] This would allow the Philippine Navy to increase its sealift and amphibious assault capabilities to reach its planned overall capability.[5]
The Philippines' Department of National Defense (DND) signed a contract with Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL Indonesia on 24 June 2022,[6] with the shipbuilder delivering a variant of their improved 123-meter Strategic Sealift Vessel / Tarlac-class design.[2][7][5]
According to the technical specifications released as part of the project's tender documents, the ship will have improvements over the current Tarlac-class landing platform docks, despite both classes originating from a similar base design.[5] The improvements were formulated based on the Philippine Navy's experience in operating the Tarlac-class, and knowing its strengths and shortcomings.[5]
Among the improvements released publicly, the ships will have improved air conditioning system, larger side ramps, higher vehicle and well deck ceiling,[8] spaces to support MPAC operations, and improved future proofing to accept Fitted for But Not With (FFBNW) subsystems.[2]
Armaments
The Philippine Navy released information to tenderers that the ships are to be built with allowance for a 76-millimeter (3.0 in) Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid main gun, two 30mm Aselsan SMASH secondary guns, either the Rheinmetall Oerlikon Millennium Gun or the Aselsan GOKDENIZ gun-based close-in weapon systems, and 8 manually operated 12.7mm heavy machine guns.[2]
PT PAL confirmed in released proposals that their submitted landing docks design allows for a 76-millimeter (3.0 in) (3 in) main gun on the foredeck, two stern-facing 30 mm (1.2 in) secondary guns will also be fitted, one each on the port and starboard sides.[2] The weapons systems are supposed to be installed separately by the Philippine Navy after delivery.
Recent procurements by the Philippine Navy indicate that the ships would have eight manually-operated 12.7mm heavy machine guns, specifically the Sarsilmaz SAR127 from Turkiye.[9]
Flight support
Originally, the ships were designed to accommodate two medium-sized (10-ton) helicopters on the flight deck, and one similar-sized helicopter on the hangar, with the specifications emphasizing the US-made Sikorsky Black Hawk and Italian-made AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter as basis. But changes in the Philippine Navy's requirement later on changed the design to have a hangar for one medium (10-ton) helicopter and a flight deck for two medium (10-ton) helicopters.
Ship systems
On 20 July 2024, defense contractor EID, a subsidiary of Cohort plc, announced that it had secured a contract with PT PAL to supply its Integrated Communications Control System (ICCS) for integration into the landing platform docks under construction for the Philippine Navy.[10][11]
Construction
The steel cutting ceremony was conducted on 22 July 2024.[2]
Delays were reported in the construction, as the ship was originally scheduled for launch in mid-2025. PT PAL confirmed the delays and the rectifications to meet its contract obligations, with the ship scheduled to have its keel laid in July 2026.
See also
References
- ↑ Montero, Max (2019-06-18). "Discussing the Technical Requirements of the 2 new Landing Platform Docks for the Philippine Navy". MaxDefense Philippines. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Landing Docks Acquisition Project". Philippine Defense Resource. 17 June 2019. Archived from the original on 19 October 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
- ↑ "Names for new Philippine Navy LPDs identified". MaxDefense Philippines. 1 July 2026. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ Mangosing, Frances (10 June 2022). "Navy buying more new ships". Inquirer.net. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 "The Philippine Navy's Landing Docks Acquisition Project". Pitz Defense Analysis. 7 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ↑ "Philippines Procures Two More LPD From Indonesia's PT PAL". Naval News. 2022-06-30. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
- ↑ "Indonesian firm to build 2 more landing docks for PH". Philippine News Agency. 2022-06-26. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
- ↑ "Philippine Navy requests higher tank deck for future LPDs". MaxDefense Philippines. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ "Philippine Navy selects Sarsilmaz for .50-caliber heavy machine guns". MaxDefense Philippines. 28 April 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
- ↑ "Two new Philippine Navy LPD's will have military communications systems made in Portugal". EID. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ↑ Ng, Jr (1 August 2024). "EID wins naval communications deal for Philippine sealift vessels". Asian Military Review. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
