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BRP Magat Salamat (PS-20)
Encyclopedia
The BRP Magat Salamat (PS-20) is one of several Miguel Malvar class of Patrol Corvette
s in service with the Philippine Navy
. She was originally built as the USS Gayety (AM-239), an Admirable class minesweeper
with a similar hull to the produced during World War II
. Along with other ex-World War II veteran ships of the Philippine Navy, she is considered as one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world today.
Gayety was recommissioned on 11 May 1951 as a training ship, and was again decommissioned on 1 March 1954, and re-entered Atlantic Reserve Fleet. As part of the reserves, she was reclassified as MSF-239 on 7 February 1955.
in 1975, together with other South Vietnamese Navy ships and their respective crew.
later on and was renamed RPS Magat Salamat (PS-20). She was renamed to BRP Magat Salamat (PS-20) in June 1980 using a new localized prefix.
Between 1996 and 1997 the Magat Salamat underwent major overhaul, weapons and radar systems refit, and upgrade of communications gear.
She is currently assigned with the Patrol Force of the Philippine Fleet, under the jurisdiction of Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao.
Gulf.
) while the others are configured as rescue patrol craft escort (PCER) and patrol craft escort (PCE) ships.
, and addition of single Bofors 40 mm guns. This made the ship lighter and ideal for surface patrols, but losing her limited anti-submarine warfare capability. The same configuration applies when she was transferred to the Philippine Navy
in 1975 up until around 1996-1997.
During its overhaul and refit between 1996 to 1997, the Philippine Navy
made some changes in the armament set-up. Some sources claim the loss of its Bofors 40mm cannons during the 1990-1991 overhaul and refit period, but photos http://www.timawa.net/forum/index.php?topic=15917.15 at of 2011 show the Bofors guns still present. Final armaments fitted to the ship are one Mk.26 3"/50-caliber gun (fore), three single Bofors 40 mm cannons
(aft), four Mk.10 Oerlikon 20 mm cannons
(2 each on bridge wings), and four M2 Browning 12.7 mm/50 caliber machine guns (2 besides main bridge, 2 aft near the lower Bofors gun tub).
SPS-53A surface search radar and RCA
SPN-18 navigation radar was replaced by a Raytheon
AN/SPS-64(V)11 surface search and navigation radar system. Later modifications included the installation of an additional Furuno
navigation radarhttp://www.timawa.net/forum/index.php?topic=15917.30, long range and satellite communications system, and GPS system standard to all Philippine Navy ships.
s. The main engines can propel the 914 tons (full load) ship to a maximum speed of around 16 knots (31 km/h).
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
s in service with the Philippine Navy
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy is the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, literally, "Sea Force of the Philippines"....
. She was originally built as the USS Gayety (AM-239), an Admirable class minesweeper
Admirable class minesweeper
The Admirable class was the largest and one of the most successful classes of minesweepers the United States Navy ordered during World War II. Typically, the minesweeper detected and removed mines before the rest of the fleet arrived, thereby ensuring safe passage for the larger ships...
with a similar hull to the produced during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Along with other ex-World War II veteran ships of the Philippine Navy, she is considered as one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world today.
US Navy
Commissioned in the US Navy as the USS Gayety (AM-239) in 1945, she was assigned in the Pacific theatre of operations, specifically around the Japanese home islands providing minefield sweeping and anti-submarine warfare patrols in the Ryukyus and off Okinawa. She suffered a near-miss from a 500-pound bomb and was damaged, although she was quickly put back to fighting shape. After the war she was decommissioned on June 1946 and placed under the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.Gayety was recommissioned on 11 May 1951 as a training ship, and was again decommissioned on 1 March 1954, and re-entered Atlantic Reserve Fleet. As part of the reserves, she was reclassified as MSF-239 on 7 February 1955.
Republic of Vietnam Navy
She was then transferred to the Republic of Vietnam on 17 April 1962. She served the Vietnamese Navy as RVN Chi Lang II (HQ-08) up until her escape to the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in 1975, together with other South Vietnamese Navy ships and their respective crew.
Philippine Navy
She was formally acquired by the Philippine Navy on 5 April 1976 and was commissioned into the Philippine NavyPhilippine Navy
The Philippine Navy is the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, literally, "Sea Force of the Philippines"....
later on and was renamed RPS Magat Salamat (PS-20). She was renamed to BRP Magat Salamat (PS-20) in June 1980 using a new localized prefix.
Between 1996 and 1997 the Magat Salamat underwent major overhaul, weapons and radar systems refit, and upgrade of communications gear.
She is currently assigned with the Patrol Force of the Philippine Fleet, under the jurisdiction of Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao.
Notable Deployments / Exercises
On February 2011, the Magat Salamat, together with BRP Felix Apolinario (PG-395), BRP Teotimo Figuracion (PG-389), and other Philippine Navy ships and units participated in Exercise PAGSISIKAP 2011 held in DavaoDavao
Davao refers to several closely related places in Mindanao in the Philippines. The term is used most often to refer to the city.*Davao Region, an administrative region*Davao del Norte province*Davao del Sur province*Davao Oriental province...
Gulf.
Technical details
There are slight difference between the BRP Magat Salamat as compared to some of her sister ships in the Philippine Navy, since her previous configuration was as a as compared to some of her sister ships in the Philippine Navy, since her previous configuration was as a minesweepers (Admirable classAdmirable class minesweeper
The Admirable class was the largest and one of the most successful classes of minesweepers the United States Navy ordered during World War II. Typically, the minesweeper detected and removed mines before the rest of the fleet arrived, thereby ensuring safe passage for the larger ships...
) while the others are configured as rescue patrol craft escort (PCER) and patrol craft escort (PCE) ships.
Armaments
Originally the ship was armed with one 3"/50 caliber dual purpose gun, one twin Bofors 40 mm guns, six single 20 mm gun mounts, one Hedgehog depth charge projector, four depth charge projectiles (K-guns) and two depth charge tracks. Changes were made during its transfer to the South Vietnamese Navy, as it appears in photos show the removal of her anti-submarine weapons, removal of two Oerlikon 20 mm gunsOerlikon 20 mm cannon
The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original design by Reinhold Becker of Germany, very early in World War I, and widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others...
, and addition of single Bofors 40 mm guns. This made the ship lighter and ideal for surface patrols, but losing her limited anti-submarine warfare capability. The same configuration applies when she was transferred to the Philippine Navy
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy is the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, literally, "Sea Force of the Philippines"....
in 1975 up until around 1996-1997.
During its overhaul and refit between 1996 to 1997, the Philippine Navy
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy is the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, literally, "Sea Force of the Philippines"....
made some changes in the armament set-up. Some sources claim the loss of its Bofors 40mm cannons during the 1990-1991 overhaul and refit period, but photos http://www.timawa.net/forum/index.php?topic=15917.15 at of 2011 show the Bofors guns still present. Final armaments fitted to the ship are one Mk.26 3"/50-caliber gun (fore), three single Bofors 40 mm cannons
Bofors 40 mm gun
The Bofors 40 mm gun is an anti-aircraft autocannon designed by the Swedish defence firm of Bofors Defence...
(aft), four Mk.10 Oerlikon 20 mm cannons
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original design by Reinhold Becker of Germany, very early in World War I, and widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others...
(2 each on bridge wings), and four M2 Browning 12.7 mm/50 caliber machine guns (2 besides main bridge, 2 aft near the lower Bofors gun tub).
Electronics
Also during the refit the ship's SperrySperry Corporation
Sperry Corporation was a major American equipment and electronics company whose existence spanned more than seven decades of the twentieth century...
SPS-53A surface search radar and RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
SPN-18 navigation radar was replaced by a Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
AN/SPS-64(V)11 surface search and navigation radar system. Later modifications included the installation of an additional Furuno
Furuno
The Furuno Electric Company was founded in Nagasaki, Japan in 1938. The company sells marine electronics and has subsidiaries in the USA, Europe and China.-1940s:...
navigation radarhttp://www.timawa.net/forum/index.php?topic=15917.30, long range and satellite communications system, and GPS system standard to all Philippine Navy ships.
Machinery
The ship is originally powered by two Cooper Bessemer GSB-8 diesel engines, but was replaced by two GM 12-567ATL diesel engines, then later by two GM 12-278A diesel engines, with a combined rating of around 2200 bhp driving two propellerPropeller
A propeller is a type of fan that transmits power by converting rotational motion into thrust. A pressure difference is produced between the forward and rear surfaces of the airfoil-shaped blade, and a fluid is accelerated behind the blade. Propeller dynamics can be modeled by both Bernoulli's...
s. The main engines can propel the 914 tons (full load) ship to a maximum speed of around 16 knots (31 km/h).