BRP Carlos Albert (PG-375)

The BRP Carlos Albert (PG-375) is the fifth ship of the Jose Andrada class coastal patrol boats of the Philippine Navy. It is part of the first batch of its class ordered through US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) in 1990, and was commissioned with the Philippine Navy on January 1992. It was initially designated as Fast Patrol Craft, and was numbered "DF-375", but later on was re-designated as a Patrol Gunboat, and was finally re-numbered as "PG-375".

Notable Operations / Exercises
From 21 May to 28 May 2009, the Carlos Albert, together with other Philippine Navy ships BRP Dagupan City (LC-551), BRP Bienvenido Salting (PG-112) and other Philippine Navy units, joined their United States Navy counterparts including USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49), USS Chafee (DDG-90), USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50) in the CARAT 2009 naval exercises

Technical Details
The ship was built to US Coast Guard standards with aluminum hull and superstructure. She is powered by two Detroit Diesel 16V-92TA Diesel Engines with a combined power of around 2,800 hp driving two propellers for a maximum speed of 28 kn. Maximum range is 1200 nmi at 12 kn, or alternatively 600 nmi at 24 kn.

The ship originally designed to carry one bow Mk.3 40 mm gun, one 81 mm mortar aft, and four 12.7 mm/50 caliber machine guns. Instead, she is armed with only four M2HB Browning 12.7 mm/50 caliber machine guns on Mk.26 mounts, with two positioned forward and two aft; and two M60 7.62 mm/30 caliber machine guns, both mounted amidships. The ship can carry 4,000 rounds of 12.7 mm and 2,000 rounds of 7.62 mm A large "Big Eyes" binocular is also carried on tripod mounts, one on the forecastle and one just above the mast.

As part of the first batch (PG-370 to PG-378), it is not equipped with Mk.38 Mod.0 Bushmaster 25mm chain gun. It was planned to install either a stabilized or unstabilized M242 25 mm Bushmaster chain gun on her bow after some minor modifications, but as of to date has not materialized.

She is equipped with a Raytheon AN/SPS-64(V)11 surface search and navigation radar but with a smaller antenna as those used in bigger Philippine Navy ships.

A 4-meter rigid inflatable boat powered by a 40-hp outboard motor is stowed amidships.