PAF to buy spare parts for transport planes

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is set to purchase communication, navigation and environmental systems for the transport planes it acquired from Spain.

The project has an approved budget of P4.28-million for the spare parts of the C295 planes, a bid bulletin posted on the Philippine Government Procurement System showed.

PAF spokesman Col. Enrico Canaya said Monday every aircraft should have spare parts even if they are brand new.

Prospective suppliers may buy a complete set of bid documents for P5,000. The documents will be issued at the Philippine Air Force Procurement Center Building at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay.

A pre-bid conference will be held at the same venue tomorrow to orient potential bidders about the project.

The deadline for the submission of bids will be on Sept. 17, 9 a.m. also at Villamor Air Base. The bids will be opened on the same date.

Last year, The STAR reported that Spanish company Airbus Military (now Airbus Defence & Space) won the bidding for the purchase of three medium lift fixed wing aircraft. 

Airbus submitted a bid of P5.29-billion, well within the P5.3-billion budget ceiling.

The first of the three C295 planes arrived in Clark, Pampanga in March. Officials said the two other transport planes may be delivered within the year.