PT PAL lays down first modified variant of Tarlac-class LPD for the Ph…

PT PAL officials making final checks ahead of the keel-laying ceremony for the third SSV that will be delivered to the Philippine Navy. (PT PAL)

Indonesian state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL has laid down the keel for what will be the third landing platform dock (LPD)-like strategic sealift vessel (SSV) it will deliver to the Philippine Navy.

The keel was laid down on 22 January at the shipbuilder's facility at Surabaya, a representative from the shipbuilder told Janes on the same day.

Manila signed a follow-on contract for two more SSVs with PT PAL in June 2022. This contract represents a repeat order after PT PAL received a USD92 million contract in June 2014 for similar vessels, both of which are now in service as the Tarlac class.

First-of-class BRP Tarlac was commissioned in June 2016 while the second vessel, BRP Davao del Sur, was inducted in May 2017. Both vessels derive their main form factors from the 122–125 m multirole vessels that are in service with the Indonesian Navy, which are in turn based on a design from South Korean company Dae Sun Shipbuilding.

The third and fourth SSVs will feature a slightly longer overall length of 124 m when compared with its predecessor ships that are 123 m long.First steel for the third vessel was cut in August 2023, also in Surabaya.

It displaces about 7,200 tonnes at standard loads and will have an endurance of about 30 days with a standard crew complement, according to PT PAL.

PT PAL has not provided details on changes that have resulted in an increase in the overall length of the latest SSVs.

However, Janes