“OCEA Launched Largest Aluminum OPV in the World for Philippine Coast Guard” –Naval News

OPV270. OCEA photo

Naval News reports that the French shipyard OCEA has launched the largest aluminum offshore patrol vessel ever constructed. It is going to the Philippine Coast Guard as part of a package deal that also included four much smaller patrol boats. The shipyard claims substantial lifecycle saving in fuel and maintenance as well as lower emissions due to the choice of building materials. (Note the underwater body on the after third of the ship. It looks unusual.)

Choice of an aluminum hull and superstructure does bring on discussion of the possible dangers of using aluminum, frequently blamed for serious damage due to fire including USS Belknap (CG-26) and loss of British type 21 frigates HMS Antelope and HMS Ardent and the destroyer HMS Sheffield during the Falklands War.

There are real issues with the use of aluminum, since it softens, melts, and looses its structural integrity at lower temperatures than steel, as seen on HMS Amazon when it had a fire in 1977, but losses as a result of structural aluminum have frequently been exaggerated. Problems with cracking of aluminum superstructures have been largely as a result of the different expansion rates of mixed steel and aluminum construction.

In the case of Belknap, the collision severed fuel lines running outboard on the carrier and dumped huge amounts of fuel onto the ship, feeding the fire, while ammunition cooked off. Nevertheless the ship was saved by extraordinary DC effort.

The loss of Antelope and Ardent were evaluated to have not been the result of their Aluminum superstructure.

The Sheffield actually employed steel rather than aluminum in both its hull and superstructure, so aluminum construction played no part in her loss.

OPV 270 main specifications

Overall length : 84.00 m (275.5′)
Range : 8000 nm @ 12 kts
Endurance : 5 weeks
Speed : 22.0 knots
Crew : 40 persons
Passenger and VIP : 26 persons
Survivors : 35 persons

21 thoughts on ““OCEA Launched Largest Aluminum OPV in the World for Philippine Coast Guard” –Naval News”

Basically Chuck, That’s the Philippines Coast Guards Version of our NSC and 378’s

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Chuck Hill on July 19, 2019 at 11:03 pm said:

More like a 270 foot WMEC, but no 76mm.

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- Nicky on July 19, 2019 at 11:05 pm said:
  
  So basically the Philippine Coast Guard has built a neutered version of our 270 famous cutter class.
- Chuck Hill on July 19, 2019 at 11:18 pm said:
  
  Just a similar type of ship.
- Nicky on July 20, 2019 at 9:09 pm said:
  
  Chuck,
  Can you do a comparison between our 270’s and what the Philippine Coast Guard is getting.
- Chuck Hill on July 20, 2019 at 9:58 pm said:
  
  Specs for the Philippine ship above. Specs for the 270 are here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium_endurance_cutter#Famous-class_cutter Similar size. The Philippine ship is 2.5 knots faster. Their crew is much smaller, but they do not have the gun, fire control, or electronic countermeasures.

The Philippine Navy has ordered the RADS (Rafael Advanced Defense Systems) “Typhoon” MLS-ER “Spike” as part of her armament package…

( https://www.janes.com/article/84817/philippines-navy-demos-new-spike-er-capability )

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Chuck Hill on July 20, 2019 at 11:18 am said:

That would probably be a good choice, but the link only refers to mounting Spike ER on smaller Navy patrol boat.

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- Secundius on July 20, 2019 at 11:41 am said:
  
  Sorry, but virtually everything about the Weapons Systems to be used on the BRP “Gabriela Silang” (OVP-8301) is abstract with nothing noting what actual weapon systems are to be used. Even “Links” within “Wikipedia”, don’t mention any weapons systems to be used, other that “GS” is able to maintain a Helicopter of a weight class of ~5-tons, though Wikipedia mentions 10-tons…
  
  ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRP_Gabriela_Silang_(OVP-8301 )
- leesea on July 22, 2019 at 2:05 pm said:
  
  Most of the defense reporting I see from the PI, is mostly conjecture. Some of their news is flat out fake not to coin a term~
  IOW always put a question mark on it.

The Peoples Republic of Vietnam also bought the OPV-270 Design, and their mounts the Turkish-made Aselsan 30x173mmR “SMASH” Remote Controlled Stabilized Naval Gun System. I suspect the Philippine OPV-8301 will be similarly armed, for no other reason than commonality in Parts Acquisition between countries…

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Chuck Hill on July 21, 2019 at 11:58 am said:

Last I heard the Vietnamese were building Damen OPVs.

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- Secundius on July 21, 2019 at 12:11 pm said:
  
  Possibly true, but weaponry would probably be still the same, just on a different “Bare Boat” Hull Design…