For The First Time In 121 Years, PH Most Powerful Warship Detects US Submarine In Palawan

BRP Conrado Yap, a Philippine Navy corvette, detected a United States submarine that was submerged in the waters of Palawan in November 2019, in what was regarded as the first-ever submarine detection in the 121-year history of the country’s naval warfare service.

The good news was bared by no less than Navy Flag Officer in Command (FOIC), Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad during an interview with the media at the Naval Bonifacio Station in Taguig City on Wednesday night.

“The BRP Conrado Yap was able to detect a submarine while it was traveling in Palawan. That was the first time that it happened to our navy,” Empedrad said.


According to the Navy Chief, the crew manning the BRP Conrado Yap was on its way to Zamboanga for a “show the flag” mission, a naval event where a ship displays the flag of its country as an expression of patriotic pride when it detected the American submarine.

Acquired from the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) on August 5, 2019, the BRP Conrado Yap is the first modern corvette or small warship of the Philippine Navy.

It is also regarded as the Navy’s most heavily-armed unit at present because it is equipped with a variety of sonars and radars making it capable of anti-submarine warfare.

Philippine Fleet commander, Rear Admiral Giovanni Bacordo, said the ship is armed with two 76mm Oto Melara automatic guns, two Oto Breda 40mm light cannons, and two triple torpedo tubes, making it capable of dealing with the surface, sub-surface and air threats.

Aside from that, it is also armed with a guided missile fire control system and a variety of armaments, enabling it to take down submarines if ever it detects one.

Bacordo added that the BRP Conrado Yap will boost the Philippine Navy’s anti-submarine capabilities, which were activated by the arrival of the two AgustaWestland AW-159 anti-submarine helicopters last May.

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Although Empedrad described the detection as “exciting,” he admitted that it is a big challenge for them.

“We don’t know what to do with it, it’s only a detection. What will happen in the near future? What are the doctrines involved here? Can you immediately fire a torpedo to destroy submarines?” the Navy Chief said.

Empedrad said that we have a lot of new capabilities that we didn’t have in our fleet before and modernizing our navy is very challenging indeed.

“If you remove all the water in the Philippines, you might see around 50 submarines around us,” he said.

Empedrad further added that they are continuously monitoring the submarine.

Source: MB