The Philippine Air Force (PAF) displayed a number of its recently acquired aerial assets during a visit by President Rodrigo Duterte to Clark Air Base, northwest of Manila, on 12 February.
The service said in a statement that the assets inspected by the president include one second-hand Lockheed Martin (Lockheed) C-130H transport aircraft acquired from the United States, six Polish-made Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky Black Hawk multirole helicopters, six A-29B Super Tucano trainer/light attack aircraft acquired from Brazilian manufacturer Embraer Defense & Security, as well as six Hermes 900 and four Hermes 450 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Israel’s Elbit Systems.
The PAF displayed several of its recently acquired aerial assets during a 12 February visit to Clark Air Base by President Rodrigo Duterte. The assets included S-70i Black Hawk helicopters, A-29B Super Tucano aircraft, a C-130H transport, as well as Hermes 900 and 450 UAVs. (Philippine Air Force )
The transport aircraft is one of two refurbished C-130Hs being acquired by the PAF under the US Excess Defense Articles Program, with the second one slated for delivery later this year. The S-70is, which were delivered in 2020, are the first six of a total of 16 ordered by the PAF in 2019, with Manila announcing on 4 February that it has also approved the procurement of at least 15 more such helicopters to replace its ageing Bell UH-1 ‘Huey’ helicopters.
The six A-29Bs were ordered in 2017 and officially inducted into service in October 2020. As for the UAVs, the latest announcement confirms that at least six of the nine Hermes 900 and all four of the Hermes 450 UAVs ordered by the PAF are operational.
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