According to information published by Manila Bulletin on February 4, 2023, two China Coast Guard (CCG) ships and two Chinese maritime militia vessels sailed close to a Philippine Navy (PN) ship near Panganiban (Mischief) Reef to try to interfere with its patrol operations.
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Gregorio del Pilar class OPV BRP Andrés Bonifacio. (Picture source: Dvids)
Offshore patrol vessel BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS-17) was conducting a patrol and search mission as she was circumnavigating Recto (Reed) Bank when the ship was “monitored and tailed” by CCG vessels with bow numbers 5204 and 5304, and maritime militia boats Qiong Sansha Yu 0001 and Qiong Lin Yu 19002 near Panganiban Reef. Both Panganiban Reef and Recto Bank are located within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
About the OPV
The BRP Andrés Bonifacio is a Gregorio del Pilar-class offshore patrol vessel of the Philippine Navy. She has a displacement of 3,250 tons, a length of 378 feet (115.2 m), a beam of 43 feet (13.1 m), and a draft of 15 feet (4.6 m).
The ship is powered by a combined diesel or gas (CODOG) propulsion system and has a top speed of 29 knots (53.7 km/h). The ship has a range of 14,000 nautical miles (25,928 km) and a 45-day endurance. The crew complement is 80.
The OPV is equipped with various sensors and processing systems, including the Naval Shield Baseline 2 Integrated Combat Management System, a Saab AB AN/SPS-77 Sea Giraffe AMB 3D air/surface search radar, a Furuno FAR3220BB 25KW X-band navigational radar, a Sperry Mk 92 Mod 1 Fire Control System, and an ELAC Hunter 2.0 hull-mounted sonar.
BRP Andres Bonifacio is armed with a Mk 75 Oto Melara 76mm Compact gun, two Mk 38 25mm autocannons, six M2HB Browning .50 caliber guns, and two USN-Mark 36 SRBOC (Super Rapid Blooming Offboard Countermeasures) mortar-type launching systems.
She is also equipped with CBRNE defense systems, a steel hull, an aluminum superstructure, and can carry one AW109E Power naval helicopter with a flight deck and retractable hangar.
