P23.7-B deal to buy fighter jets

By: Nikko Dizon - 11 years ago

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of National Defense is set to sign next week contracts for the brand-new lead in fighter jets and combat utility helicopters worth P23.7 billion for the Philippine Air Force.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, approving authority for the contract, as well as Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, Air Force commanding general Lt. Gen. Lauro Catalino dela Cruz and the president of the Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency will be present during the occasion, Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said on Friday.

The Korean ambassador to the Philippines is also expected to attend the event, Manalo added.

He said the signing is set on March 28.

“This is significant because we really need to give our Armed Forces the minimum capability to show that [it] can live up to its mandate, to its responsibility,” Manalo said.

The signing will include the contracts for the 12 lead in training fighter jets from the Korean Aerospace Inc. worth P18.9 billion and eight Bell 412 combat utility helicopters worth P4.8 billion from the Canadian Commercial Corp.

The jets would bring the Air Force back to the supersonic age after it retired its F-5s in 2005.

Manalo said three of the eight helicopters would be configured for VIPs. At least three choppers would be delivered in September in time for the Philippines’ hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

“We need the helicopters because we know that there would be many heads of state who will come here. The choppers will be configured [for the] VIPs. The choppers are also intended to replace the five aging helicopters of the President acquired during the time of [former] President [Fidel] Ramos,” Manalo said.