The Philippine Navy Is Rusting Away

[DA SWO]

BLUF: The insurgency has drained the defense coffers and now China is enough of a threat that the Navy needs immediate upgrade.

https://medium.com/war-is-boring/the-philippine-navy-is-rusting-away-461bedea738e

...In December 2014, the Philippine Navy announced plans for a major overhaul of its beleaguered force. It’s about time. The archipelago’s sailing force is made up of half-century-old antiques—and is falling apart.

Under the new proposal, Manila expects to spend $2 billion over the next 15 years on new warships, submarines, helicopters and more. The primary focus of these purchases is to help bolster the country’s claims in the South China Sea against Chinese intrusions......

 

[HALO99]

Agree. Not only drained by one of the longest running insurgencies (3 kinds), but constrained by the system and culture too. Way far behind.

 

[Red Flag 1]

So who fills the defense coffers back up for them, I wonder?

 

[pardus]

Fuck'm, they should never have closed Subic Bay. Stupid hurts.

 

[HALO99]

PH Navy Ship still in service, used as an outpost, and literally falling apart - BRP LT-57 Sierra Madre

 

[pardus]

The Chinese Navy must be shitting themselves! LOL

 

[HALO99]

Up close of the ship and the sailors' living conditions.
(Note: Open source photos)



In the lower deck


Upper deck


PT (safe way of doing it aboard ship )

 

[HALO99]

Down time and hanging out.

 

[HALO99]

Trust me, "MREs" are non-existent. Class 1 supply consists of a bag of rice and canned sardines, corned beef or luncheon meat if you're lucky. Repeat eating of this stuff 3 x a day for the rest of the month and you end up looking for other sources of food - "live off the sea".

 

[HALO99]

PH SF parachute dropping supplies to their Navy/Marine brothers stationed at BRP LT-57. (Using a T-10 reserve chute and some guerrilla-style rigging techniques)

 

[SkrewzLoose]

No fucking way...

 

[AWP]

No fucking way...

True story. I happened to read about it on some website months ago, but this is the first time I've seen photos. "Holy shit" doesn't quite cover that tale...

IIRC leaving a manned ship there prevents the Chinese from claiming the area or risks dragging them into a war with any nation possessing the backbone to stand against the Chinese.

 

[Red Flag 1]

I hope they are current on all their immunizations.

 

[DA SWO]

They should airdrop rust chippers, paint and brushes.

 

[18C4V]

That looks like the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse in those zombie books I've been reading on my Kindle.

 

[SkrewzLoose]

So the ship is "manned" for political reasons but at this point it's probably rusted to the ocean floor?

 

[HALO99]

Correct.

 

[digrar]

I hope they are current on all their immunizations.

Tetanus shots in particular.

 

[Flagg]

I met two Philippine Coast Guard SOG fellas last year.

A couple of good buggers.

The size of their task combined with their lack of resources is pretty daunting.

 

[Gunz]

The US and Philippines signed a defense agreement last year but I'm not clear how much financial aid was involved or if any of it will go to the Phil Navy:

http://thediplomat.com/2014/05/analyzing-the-us-philippines-enhanced-defense-cooperation-agreement/