DND clarifies purchase of C-130 from American bidder

MANILA, Philippines - Defense officials yesterday defended its purchase of a refurbished C-130 from a lone American-based bidder that acquired the military cargo plane from the Tunisian Air Force after it figured in a runway mishap several years ago.

Defense spokesman Eduardo Batac said the Department of National Defense (DND) is already set to release the notice of award to DERCO Aerospace Inc., the winning bidder of the C-130 acquisition project.

“As with other defense acquisitions under the AFP modernization program, the C-130 project went through different stages of the procurement process,” Batac said.

Batac justified the purchase of the cargo plane which, he said, had been planned since 2009.

He said the purchase was first approved by the Weapons and Systems Board of the Philippine Air Force following the recommendation of its Technical Working Group.

Batac said the proposal was evaluated and endorsed for approval by the AFP Weapons Board with the AFP chief and the DND secretary.

The C-130H in question was formerly owned by the Tunisian Air Force that was involved in a runaway accident in Gafsa, Tunisia.

Batac said the aircraft did not crash as reported but “went on a runway excursion.”

DERCO Aerospace acquired the aircraft in 2007 and in partnership with C-130 repair facility and a Lockheed Martin certified maintenance firm based in Kuala Lumpur, had proceeded with the repair and recovery work for the damaged aircraft.

Batac said the refurbished cargo plane has a two-year Integrated Logistic Support (ILS), an upgraded avionics package which incorporates a glass cockpit configuration and other advanced features for flight management, navigation and communication.

“Any price comparisons to be made should take into consideration these features as prescribed by the project’s technical specifications,” Batac said.

He added the package offered by DERCO to PAF is over and above the required specifications for the project.

The PAF currently has only one airworthy C-130 cargo plane in its inventory from more than a dozen in the early 1970s.