PF Datu Kalantiaw Class
PS Datu Kalantiaw Class
The Philippine Fleet received the RPS Datu Kalantiaw (PS-76) in 1967. Formerly the USS Booth, a Cannon Class escort destroyer (DE), the Datu Kalantiaw was initially classified as a patrol corvette (PS) in the Philippine Navy's nomenclature. Under the Philippine Navy system surface combatants were named after national heroes, past leaders, historical figures, with the ships in the Datu Kalantiaw class being named after historical figures in pre-Spanish Filipino history and lore.
In December 1978, the Philippine Navy acquired 2 addition boats of the Cannon Class from the United States, which had been stricken from in 1975 from the inventory of the Japanese Navy and returned to US ownership. The ships remained in Japan until the time of purchase and were then towed to the Republic of Korea for overhaul. In February 1980 the ships were recommissioned as the RPS Datu Sikatuna (PS-77, previously the JS Asahi, and USS Amick) and RPS Rajah Humabon (PS-78, previously the JS Hatushi, and USS Atherton). Even at the time the ships of the Datu Kalantiaw class were some of the oldest in the Philippine Navy.
During her service Datu Kalantiaw was the Philippine Navy's flagship. In 1981 Typhoon Clara drove her aground on Calayan Island in the northern Philippines. In one of the Philippine Navy's worst losses, 79 members of the 97-man crew were lost. The ship itself was damaged beyond repair, coming to rest partially submerged on her port side, and never returned to active service.
Following the end of the regime of Ferdinand Marcos and the subsequent changes in the administration of various parts of the Philippine government and armed forces, a Republic of Philippines (RPS) prefix was replaced with a prefix meaning the same by in Tagalog, Bapor Ng Republika Ng Philipinas Or (BRP). At the same time the remaining ships of the Datu Kalantiaw class were reclassified as patrol frigates (PF). BRP Datu Sikatuna was numbered PF-10, while BRP Rajah Humabon was numbered PF-11. The Datu Sikatuna was decommissioned and scrapped in 1989. The Rajah Humabon remained as the sole example of the Datu Kalantiaw class in service and was retired in 1993. Its poor condition led to speculation it would be stricken by 1994.
The Rajah Humabon was restored to active service at Cavite Dockyard in 1995, being formally recommissioned in January 1996. The entire anti-submarine weapons suite was removed in the overhaul process. The automated fire control system for the ships main guns was also removed and replaced with a simple ring sight for each individual gun. It was reported that the Philippine Navy was interested in adding an anti-ship missile system to the Rajah Humabon to increase its capabilities, but by 2009 no such modifications had been completed and no missiles or other equipment purchased.
In February 2000, the Rajah Humabon was involve in an incident disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. The ship reportedly fired warning shots at a Chinese fishing vessel.
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