Navy in the Market for Three More MPAC

Philippine Navy plans to acquire three more MPAC (photo : Timawa)

In a bid to modernize its patrol craft forces, the Philippine Navy (PN) announced that it is planning to acquire three more "multi-purpose attack crafts" (MPACs).

This acquisition program is under the Navy's mid-term development plan for 2014 to 2017, PN spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said.

"This (MPAC)acquisition is under our mid-term development plan for 2014 to 2017," he added.

The PN at present has six MPACs in service.

Three of them are sourced from Taiwan while the remaining three were ordered from Filipino shipbuilder Propmech Corporation, which is based in Subic Bay, Zambales.

Each one is worth around P90 million and is capable of carrying 16 fully-equipped troopers or two tons of cargo.

The MPAC is capable of operating in territorial waters up to "Sea State 3" (slight waves) without any system degradation.

It is armed with one .50 caliber and two 7.62mm machine guns. (PNA)

(PTVNews)