P2 B to be added in joint DND, AFP bidding for attack helicopters

MANILA, Philippines – After scrapping the bidding process for P1.2 billion worth of night capable attack helicopters (NCAH), the defense and military establishments will conduct a combined procurement process for the same type of aircraft with additional P2 billion in funding, a military official said.

Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Pedrito Cadungog said although they cannot expect the NCAH to be delivered this year due to the nullification of the earlier bidding, it would not take long before it can be purchased as the specifications have already been identified.

Cadungog said they are hoping the NCAH, seen as a vital tool in the military’s internal security operations, would be delivered to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) by next year.

“Hopefully we can expedite the completion of the circular of requirements because we need to go back to that stage. From there it would not take that long, we know where to speed up the process because we already have an experience. If there would be delays, it would only be a few months compared to the original plan,” he said.

With the additional budget of P2 billion, Cadungog said they are hoping to purchase a total of 18 NCAH from six helicopters.

“Now it could reach around 18 at the maximum if it would be approved, because that is our desire at project management team, our experts who are laying down the plans,” he said.

Aside from the NCAH, the Air Force is also expecting by July this year 18 units of T41 trainer aircraft to be donated by South Korea.

Cadungog said that for the first quarter of next year, there would be 18 units of SF 260 Marchetti advance trainer planes that would be delivered and commissioned for the training of PAF pilots.

Cadungog said the purchase of new airplanes is their way of addressing the exodus of pilots to commercial airlines, although he said PAF could not prevent them from leaving the service.

Aside from the new aircraft, the PAF is also looking into the refurbishment of five Vietnam War vintage UH-1H helicopters, which is considered the military’s workhorse.

The Department of National Defense (DND) has formed a new bids and awards committee (BAC) that would handle the procurement of night capable attack helicopters for the AFP, following the scrapping of the earlier bidding due to some irregularities.

The DND earlier scrapped the bidding for the six NCAH worth P1.2 billion after an investigating panel revealed the helicopters offered by Asian Aerospace Corp. failed to meet the technical standards required by the Air Force.

Defense Undersecretary Ariston delos Reyes, who led the investigation into the alleged irregularities, said earlier that the MD530F helicopter being offered by Asian Aerospace Corp., the only company that pre-qualified in the bidding process did not meet the 3,000 lbs. payload required by the PAF. – James Mananghaya