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The BRP ''Quezon'' (PS-70) is one of two ''Rizal'' class ships in service with the Philippine Navy. She was formerly a USN ''Auk'' class minesweeper produced during World War II, and is now classified as a patrol corvette protecting the vast waters of the Philippines. Along with other ex-World War II veteran ships of the Philippine Navy, she is considered as one of the oldest active fighting ships in the world today.〔''Armed Forces of the Philippines Order of Battle. (Philippine Navy ).〕 ==History== was originally laid down for the Royal Navy under the lend-lease program as HMS Exploit (BAM-24). However the United States Navy decided to keep the ship and renamed her Vigilance (AM-324) on 23 January 1943. Commissioned in the US Navy in 1944, her first duties included screening of transport convoys between Pearl Harbor and the Marshall Islands and local escort duties between Guam, Peleliu, and Ulithiat. She also did minesweeping duties and anti-submarine patrols near Okinawa, was able to assist in anti-aircraft duties with other vessels, and assisting in firefighting and treatment of wounded from USS ''Whitehurst'' (DE-634) and USS ''England'' (DE-635). She was able to shoot a number of attacking Japanese aircraft during this period. She continued on minesweeping and patrol duties in Leyte, Philippine Islands, and in the Japanese home islands before and after Japan surrendered. With her service during World War II, she was awarded with three battle stars.〔''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. (''Vigilance'' page ).〕 She was then transferred to the Philippines in 19 August 1967 and was commissioned to the Philippine Navy as the RPS (now BRP) ''Quezon'' (PS-70), and together with her sister ship, was one of the Navy's main warships during the 1960s up to the present.〔''NavSource Online (''Vigilance (MSF 324)'' ).〕 She was stricken from the navy in late 1994, but was overhauled at the Cavite Naval Dockyard and returned to service in 1995. Some of her weapons were also removed, mainly its anti-submarine equipment due to lack of spare parts. This includes the five Mk6 depth charge projectors and two depth charge racks. This move totally removed her anti-submarine warfare capabilities, which were outdated. ''Quezon'' completed a rehabilitation overhaul in April 1996 by Hatch & Kirk, wherein she was fitted with a remanufactured EMD 645C diesel engines, rehabilitation works, and equipping the ship with state-of-the-art safety equipment on deck and engine room with all digital control panels.〔''Philippine Panorama - 26 November 1995 Repowering Old Ships To Make Them Good As New by Randy V. Urlanda''〕 Recent upgrades includes a satellite radio dish for communications.〔''Jane's Fighting Ships 2002-2003.〕〔''The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 15th Edition - page 550〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「BRP Quezon (PS-70)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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