AFP
ACQUIRES ADDITIONAL UH-1H HELICOPTERS
AFP
Chief of Staff General Narciso Abaya formally received
from Singapore Technologies (ST) Aerospace Engineering,
three refurbished UH-1H helicopters during a turnover
ceremony held at the GHQ, AFP Grandstand, Camp Aguinaldo,
Quezon City today. Secretary of National Defense,
Avelino J. Cruz Jr. witnessed the turn-over as guest
of honor and speaker. The delivery of these three
helicopters is part of the 20 UH-1H Helicopters Acquisition
Project costing Php 659.8 million under the AFP Modernization
Program. This project is over and above the acquisition
of 10 more UH-1H through US Excess Defense Article
(EDA) but funded under the AFP Modernization Program.
The UH-1H
is a versatile utility helicopter that can be used
for medical evacuation, command and control, air assault,
and transportation for men and materiel. It is the
most effective type of aircraft for internal security
operations. Fitted with an M-60 machine gun, it can
maneuver in combat areas and provide heli-lift to
the troops that no other aircraft in the Philippine
Air Force inventory can. During peacetime, it can
be also used extensively for other missions, which
include search and rescue operations. These UH-1H
are now equipped with night flying instruments and
accessories for special night flying missions and
sorties of the Philippine Air Force.
It can be
recalled that exactly two months ago on August 25,
2004, ST Aerospace formally handed over to the AFP
the first batch consisting of three refurbished Hueys.
The
AFP has garnered modest achievements in realizing
the goals of the Modernization Program. After the
first major breakthrough in March 2003 with the delivery
of Squad Automatic Weapons (SAW), five more projects
under the Program were completed for this year alone.
These are the Armored Recovery Vehicle, Manpack Radio
Transceivers, Dental Equipment, Diving Suits and the
BN Islander Upgrade.
