Ilocos Norte-class patrol boat
The Ilocos Norte-class patrol boat is a series of four vessels in active service of the Philippine Coast Guard. Their hull number prefix "SARV" means they are classified as "search and rescue vessels".
|  BRP Romblon (SARV-3503) | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Tenix Shipbuilding, Australia | 
| Operators | Philippine Coast Guard | 
| Completed | 4 | 
| Active | 4 | 
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Patrol Boat (WPB) | 
| Displacement | 120 tons | 
| Length | 36.2 metres (119 ft) | 
| Beam | 6.7 metres (22 ft) | 
| Draught | 3.9 metres (13 ft) | 
| Propulsion | 2 x 35008D Caterpillar engines rated at 1044KW at 1800RPM, 2 shafts, 1 waterjet, fixed pitch propellers | 
| Speed | 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) | 
| Range | 
 | 
| Complement | 4 Officers + 16 Ratings | 
| Sensors and processing systems | Furuno navigational radar | 
| Armament | 4 x M2 Browning[1] | 
Design and construction
    
The Ilocos Norte class is a 35-metre (115 ft), all-aluminium patrol boat designed by Tenix Shipbuilding in Australia, based on the company's Pacific-class patrol boat.[2] Four vessels were delivered to the Philippine Coast Guard in December 2001.[2] An option for a follow on order of ten more ships was offered by Tenix, but not used by the Philippine Coast Guard.[2]
Tenix reused the Ilocos Norte design in 2008 for the New South Wales Police Force patrol vessel Nemesis; the largest police-operated patrol boat in the Southern Hermisphere.[3]
Operational history
    

On December 24, 2009, BRP Nueva Vizcaya (SARV 3502), along with BRP Pampanga (SARV 003)and MT Tug Habaga (TB-271), was deployed to Cavite to conduct search and rescue operations when MV 'Catalyn B, a wooden hull motorized vessel collided with the fishing vessel FV Anatalia and sank 2.8 nautical miles (5.2 km; 3.2 mi) northwest of Limbones Island at 2:25 a.m. Thursday.[4]
On April 8, 2013, BRP Romblon (SARV 3503) was deployed when a Chinese fishing vessel ran aground in Tubbataha Reef.[5] Romblon assisted with removing the ship's cargo and fuel.[6]
Ships in class
    
| Hull number | Name | Builder | Commissioned | Status | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SARV-3501 | BRP Ilocos Norte | Tenix Shipbuilding | May 2003 | Active | 
| SARV-3502 | BRP Nueva Vizcaya | 2003 | Active | |
| SARV-3503 | BRP Romblon | November 2003 | Active | |
| SARV-3504 | BRP Davao del Norte | February 12, 2004 | Active | 
Gallery
    
 (SARV-3502) BRP Nueva Vizcaya (SARV-3502) BRP Nueva Vizcaya
 (SARV-3503) BRP Romblon (SARV-3503) BRP Romblon
 (SARV-3504) BRP Davao Del Norte (SARV-3504) BRP Davao Del Norte
References
    
- hitokiri_shinji. "AFP Materiel Technical Specification Archives Main". Kalasagnglahi.angelfire.com. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
-  - Tenix Defence - Marine. "Naval and Paramilitary Vessels" (PDF). p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 October 2007. Retrieved 8 March 2008.
 
- Davitt, Ernie (18 October 2008). "Seagoing patrol vessels strengthen police CT role". Australian Security Magazine. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
- "Sea tragedy in Cavite strikes before Christmas Day". abs-cbnNEWS.com. 2009-12-25.
- Kwok, Abigail; Badilla, Elmer (2013-04-09). "AFTER USS GUARDIAN - Chinese vessel runs aground in Tubbataha". InterAksyon.com. Archived from the original on 2013-04-12. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
- "Nakasadsad na Chinese ship sa Tubbataha tatanggalin sa Sabado | PSN Balita Ngayon, Pilipino Star Ngayon Sections, Pilipino Star Ngayon". philstar.com. 2013-04-12. Retrieved 2013-10-04.