A Hercules aircraft PAF Merge Back Completed Early 2013

A Hercules C-130B aircraft with tail number 3633 have completed the treatment done in Depo 410th Maintenance Wing in Clark Air Base, Philippines and will rejoin the Philippines Air Force operational in early 2013.

Earlier in October 2012, one plane H ercules C-130H with tail number (tail number) 7607 also handed back terimakan completed the treatment and improvement in BAE Systems' facilities are located in Mojave, California.

With the completion of treatment and improvement was the then current Air Force aircraft Philippines has three operational Hercules, another C-130H Hercules is the tail number 4726.

The Hercules aircraft operated by the 222nd Airlift Squadron from the 220th Airlift Wing located at   Benito Ebuen Air Base, Lapu-Lapu, Cebu.

Philippines Air Force used to have 13 aircraft consisting of eight Hercules C-130B, 1 L-100, 2 L-100-20 and 2 C130H.


In August 2008 a serie Hercules L-100-20 with tail number 4593 fell and killed a dozen people.

President Noynoy Aquino on several occasions wanted Hercules aircraft increase at least two more aircraft for humanitarian tasks in the management of natural disasters and to the transition team.

Previously managed to circulate news of the plan of the C-130H aircraft purchase ex Air Force Tunisia, but the plan was eventually scrapped in mid-2011.

Philippines receives Sokol helos

AgustaWestland's Polish subsidiary has delivered a second batch of Sokol helicopters -- in a combat utility configuration -- to the Philippines air force.

The two helicopters were ordered in 2010. Four aircraft were delivered in February by PZL-Swidnik. The remaining two helicopters will be delivered next year.

"This delivery marks an important program milestone for both PZL-Swidnik and the Philippines air force," said Nicola Bianco, managing director of PZL-Swidnik S.A. "The outstanding capabilities of the Sokol helicopter and its ability to perform a wide range of roles will further enhance the capabilities of the Philippines air force."

The Sokol -- Polish for "Falcon" -- is a medium-sized utility aircraft that was introduced in 1985. It has a cruise speed of 148 miles per hour, a range of 463 miles and a service ceiling of about 16,000 feet.

Four military's, including the Philippines, operate the aircraft, which is also operated by five national law enforcement agencies.

Philippines - Bidding for Purchase of 21 Helicopters Fails

The bidding for the purchase of 21 UH-1 helicopters has been declared a failure after bidders fell short of satisfying some requirements, a defense official said yesterday.

Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said the two firms that submitted offers had failed to meet certain eligibility requirements.

The opening of bids for the 21 helicopters was held last Tuesday at the Department of National Defense (DND) office in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

The government seeks to use the helicopters to meet the airlift requirements during the 2013 polls and to conduct disaster response operations.

Six companies bought bid documents but only two – Star Defense System/Radom Israel and Rise Aircraft Services Inc. – joined the bidding.

Manalo told The STAR among the issues tackled during the bidding is whether the bidders can deliver the helicopters by the end of February.

The Air Force previously recommended that the helicopters be delivered by Feb. 28, 2013 to meet the higher demand for airlift requirements during the  elections.

Manalo said the two firms could still ask the DND Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) to reconsider its decision to declare them ineligible to bid. If the companies submit motions for reconsideration, the BAC will tackle them in a meeting next week.

Another bidding may be held in the event that the BAC rejects the motion for reconsideration of the bidders.

Despite the failed bidding, Manalo gave assurance that efforts are being undertaken to fast-track the military’s upgrade efforts.

The UH-1 or Huey, which falls under the light lift category, is the primary helicopter of the Air Force.

The Air Force, then led by Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena, made the request for additional Hueys in 2011.

The DND originally sought to acquire the 21 helicopters through negotiated procurement under emergency cases.

DND had asked the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) to allow it to tap negotiated procurement under emergency in buying the helicopters, saying the state of the military’s inventory reflects “a large capability gap.”

The GPPB, however, said the acquisition should be done through public bidding, a longer process than negotiated procurement.

There are only 16 mission-capable Hueys in the Air Force inventory, 51 units short of the ideal number of operational combat utility helicopters.

Philippine Loses Chance to Acquire Attack Helicopters

                                       Eurocopter AS555C3 Fennec demostrator for Pakistan Army

The Philippines has lost an opportunity to acquire 10 attack helicopters from France, a defense official said recently.

Department of National Defense (DND) spokesman Peter Galvez said the 10 attack helicopters initially offered by a French firm are no longer available.

The helicopters had been re-offered to Pakistan by the time the DND was given permission to acquire them through negotiations.

“The helicopters were produced for Pakistan. However, Pakistan had some problems with procurement so the helicopters were opened to the market,” Galvez told The STAR.

“We had planned to acquire the helicopters and had to clarify some questions (by agencies overseeing the procurement). By the time we were allowed to acquire the helicopters, Pakistan had initiated some moves to rework the procurement,” he added.

These developments prompted French firm Eurocopter to offer the helicopters again to Pakistan.

The helicopters could have been used by the military to defend the country’s territorial integrity and conduct internal security operations.

Despite the apparent setback to its modernization efforts, the DND said it continues to find suppliers that can upgrade the military’s capabilities.

“We are now looking into other short-listed participants from European countries,” Galvez said.

“We are working double-time to meet the time frame we set despite the drawbacks we are encountering,” he added.

As early as June 18, 2012, the DND asked the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) to allow it to acquire the helicopters through negotiated procurement under a defense cooperation agreement with France, documents obtained by The STAR showed.

DND again wrote to the GPPB on July 10 to reiterate the “pressing need” to acquire the 10 attack helicopters, along with 21 UH-1 helicopters and three naval helicopters.

Sources said the GPPB, composed of representatives from different agencies, only meets once a month.

DND documents also showed that a GPPB meeting scheduled last July 18 that was supposed to discuss the request was postponed due to lack of quorum. Another reason for the postponement was the failure of GPPB to name a chair and alternate chair for its review committee. The meeting was reset to Aug. 1.

On Aug. 10, the GPPB denied DND’s request to acquire the helicopters through negotiated procurement under a defense cooperation agreement. GPPB said DND had “failed to meet the requirement to negotiate directly with an agency or instrumentality of another country.”

It recommended that DND acquire the helicopters through negotiated procurement under emergency case, which involves talks with suppliers rather than with governments.

Philippine Air Force’s - Delivery Time for 21 Refurbished Huey Expected Not Later than March 2013

21 Huey choppers to boost PAF’s operations

The 21 refurbished Huey helicopters seen to be added to the Philippine Air Force’s list of assets, will not only boost the aviation wing’s capability and military operations but will also be of use to the upcoming 2013 elections, the Department of National Defense said Monday.

Undersecretary for Finance, Munitions Installations and Materiel Fernando Manalo said the Air Force requested additional helicopters as they are anticipating an increase in air mobility requirements due to election-related flights in various parts of the country.

He also said that the project was already in the pipeline as early as 2011, when then PAF Commanding General, Lt Gen Oscar Rabena, requested President Benigno S. Aquino III for additional Hueys. The said helicopters are also urgently required during calamity and disaster operations.

According to a recent report of the Defense Acquisition System (DAS) assessment team, there are only 16 fully/partial mission-capable Hueys in the PAF inventory. Currently, the PAF is 51 units short of reaching its ideal number of operational combat utility helicopters.

“The acquisition of CUHs aims to address the capability shortfall on the number of utility helicopters in order for the PAF to efficiently perform their missions. Utility helicopters are deployed all over the Philippines and have proven to be the most effective platform for the internal security operations (ISO) and the Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) campaign,” Manalo said.

“With the present national security condition, the acquisition of additional combat utility helicopters to augment the existing UH-1H ‘Huey’ fleet is imperative. The PAF’s primary helicopter is the Huey, which falls under the light lift category. Having been the workhorse of AFP tactical operations for many years, the Huey fleet has succumbed to natural attrition due to structural stress and aircraft accidents,” he added.

An Acquisition Decision Memorandum (ADM) was issued in March 2012 for the acquisition of 21 refurbished UH-1H helicopters under negotiated procurement pursuant to Section 53.2 (Emergency Cases) of the implementing rules and regulations of RA 9184, s-2003.

The Defense Department submitted the request to the Government Policy and Procurement Board (GPPB) for authority to implement through negotiated procurement the said acquisition project last June 2012. However, last September, the DND received the GPPB’s decision to conduct public bidding for the UH-1H project instead of negotiated procurement.

The bid opening is set on December 4, 2012, with six potential bidders having already bought the bid documents, signifying their intention to participate in the bidding process. To avoid the danger of not being able to fully-support the helicopter lift requirements of the 2013 elections, the PAF has recommended that the delivery time for the Hueys be not later than February 28, 2013, Manalo said.

Philippines Air Force Gets Newly Refurbished Cargo Plane

MANILA, Philippines - A newly refurbished C-130 Hercules cargo plane arrived at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City yesterday from the United States, enhancing the capabilities of the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

PAF spokesman Col. Miguel Okol said the C-130 is now being maintained by the 220th Airlift Wing and will complement the lone C-130 plane in the Air Force inventory.

“This will increase our capability to help in the government’s national development initiatives as well as mitigate the effects of national calamities by providing lift to supplies and emergency response teams to stricken areas,” he said.

The C-130 with tail number 4704 was sent to a British Aerospace facility at Mojave, California last Aug. 8 for periodic depot maintenance. The maintenance works cost P190 million and was funded through foreign military sales.

“The PAF has been responsive and was able to airlift supplies and equipment to our countrymen with a single C-130 during disasters and calamities; now with another one we will double that capability,” PAF chief Lt. Gen. Lauro dela Cruz said.

Okol said the crew of the cargo plane made stopovers at Hawaii, Wake Island and Guam.

After the maintenance checks, 220th Airlift Wing deputy chief Col. Jose Mirandilla Jr. and his crew consisting of Lt. Col. Ramil Oloroso, Maj. Michael Edrik Encarnacion, Capt. Ian Dexter Danes and Capt. Merrito Quijano immediately prepared for departure last Sunday.

Okol said another C-130 plane undergoing maintenance in the country is expected to become operational by the first quarter of 2013.

“With only one (C-130), we did a lot. With three, we can definitely do a lot more to serve our countrymen,” he said.

The government has promised to provide the military the necessary equipment and assets to enable it to perform its mandate.