CLARK FREEPORT – Pres. Aquino vowed here yesterday to modernize the Philippine Air Force (PAF) through the purchase of new and modern aircraft from a P75-billion fund before he steps down from office in 2016.
In his keynote address during the PAF’s 66th anniversary here, the President noted that in the first 19 months of his administration, he had already allocated P28 billion for armed forces modernization. He noted this was much more than the P23 billion set aside by the three past administrations combined.
“We cannot forever rely on repair and rehabilitation of equipment. Every time an air force plane flew, not only the success of the mission, but also the lives of our pilots rely on the aircraft,” he said.
Aquino, in a speech delivered in Pilipino, said the passage of the AFP Modernization Law has allowed the government to allocate P75 billion in the next five years for the upgrade of equipment and other related requirements of the armed forces.
“Be assured that before I step down from office, our skies will teem with new and modern equipment such as lead-in vipers, long-range patrol aircraft, close air support aircraft, light lift fixed-wing aircraft, medium lift aircraft, attack helicopters, combat utility helicopters, air-defense radar and flight simulators,” he said.
“I have no doubt we are entering a new era in the history of the Philippine Air Force,” he added.
But the President also lauded the air force’s capability to repair and rehabilitate its existing aircraft.
He cited particularly the 140th Maintenance Wing which has earned ISO certification for its capability to repair and rehabilitate old military aircraft, recently including a C-130 cargo aircraft, two N-22 Nomads, one F-27 Fokker, one Cessna 210, one MG-520 attack helicopter, and one UH1H helicopter.
Aquino blamed past government leaders for neglecting the armed forces “as they got drunk in the trappings of power,” adding that “the past disregard of your welfare is now taken over by responsiveness to your needs.”
For his part, Air Force chief Lt Gen. Catalino de la Cruz vowed in his speech to “protect and defend” the country’s natural resources and properties.
He said new equipment are set to arrive to enable the air force to better perform such mission.
De la Cruz also boasted of the air force’s 35,000 flying hours in more than 28,000 sorties for various missions last year.
This, as he noted that the PAF would be strengthened soon with the arrival of “modern and new equipment, alongside investments in the field of discipiine and education, institution for reforms towards the straight path.”
De la Cruz was apparently referring to the acquisition of 12 TA-50 light attack jets from South Korea. There have been top-level discussion at the Department of National Defense for the acquisition of the air assets.
Earlier, the defense department announced the selection of the South Korean jets, including two TA-50 jets so that PAF pilots can begin training and be ready for the delivery of entire order of 24 jets by 2016.
Aside from the jets, De la Cruz also earlier cited plans to construct three radar stations at Lubang Island, Palawan and Zamboanga by 2013, to boost the air force’s ability to monitor all aircraft entering Philippine territory.
In an interview, air force spokesperson Lt. Col Miguel Okol declined to say what specific aircraft would be purchased, but noted that manufacturers from South Korean, Italy and Russia are among those interested to participate in the bidding.
He said that from the P75-billion modernization fund, some P43 billion would be shared between the air force and the navy.
He said the choice of aircraft would take into consideration not only the aircraft, but also its weapons capability and the area where it would be based in the country.
