The US Navy transferred the last two of its Cyclone-class patrol ships to the Philippine Navy on Tuesday, completing the group of 10 shallow-water craft it has delivered to allies.
BRP Valentin Diaz (PS117) and BRP Ladislao Diwa (PS178), formerly called USS Monsoon (PC4) and USS Chinook (PC9), have been commissioned by the Philippine Navy’s Littoral Combat Force.
The transfer comes after the coastal ships’ decommissioning in Bahrain in March, where the Philippines formally accepted the vessels as part of the US Excess Defense Articles program.
New Lease on Sea Life
The PS117 and PS178 are slated to embark on maritime patrol operations in the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone.
During the commissioning ceremony in Manila, Philippine Department of National Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said that the sister patrol ships are a timely addition to the country’s Fleet-Marine Team, bolstering efforts to complete the country’s littoral defenses.
US Ambassador to the Philippines Mary Kay Carlson added that the acquisition is in line with US support of the Southeast Asian nation’s West Philippine Sea operations.
A Rich History
Commissioned in 1994 and 1995, the ships have been integral to the US Navy’s patrol and anti-smuggling operations. Both ships were decommissioned after nearly 30 years of service.
The Philippines is the last of US naval partners in the Combined Maritime Forces to receive the US Navy’s decommissioned patrol craft.
Last year, the US Navy transferred five Cyclone-class ships to Bahrain. Additionally, three were commissioned into the Egyptian Navy.
