MANILA, Philippines — Philippine defense and military officials will fly to South Korea within the year to inspect the surplus helicopters the Philippine military intends to acquire.
In a congratulatory letter to the newly-appointed South Korean defense minister Suh Wook, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana mentioned his agency’s plan to acquire surplus UH-1H and MD-500 helicopters, Defense spokesperson Dir. Arsenio Andolong said in a statement on Friday (Oct. 2).
The joint visual inspection (JVI) will be conducted “within the fourth quarter of 2020.”
“The JVI will be conducted following strict biosafety protocols amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by a team of representatives from the DND and the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Andolong said.
The planned transfer remains at an exploratory stage. The number of choppers and the timeline of the acquisition have yet to be finalized, he said.
Last week, Air Mobility Command chief Maj. Gen. Simeon Felix announced the Philippine Air Force’s plan to get 21 UH-1H helicopters from South Korea.
A senior official familiar with the military modernization program said the Philippine Army is also interested in the used South Korean helicopters.