PAF Huey helicopter
(photo : Davis World 2011)
21 Huey
choppers to boost PAF’s operations
MANILA,
Philippines—The 21 refurbished Huey helicopters seen to be added to the
Philippine Air Force’s list of assets, will not only boost the aviation wing’s
capability and military operations but will also be of use to the upcoming 2013
elections, the Department of National Defense said Monday.
Undersecretary
for Finance, Munitions Installations and Materiel Fernando Manalo said the Air
Force requested additional helicopters as they are anticipating an increase in
air mobility requirements due to election-related flights in various parts of
the country.
He also said
that the project was already in the pipeline as early as 2011, when then PAF
Commanding General, Lt Gen Oscar Rabena, requested President Benigno S. Aquino
III for additional Hueys. The said helicopters are also urgently required
during calamity and disaster operations.
According to
a recent report of the Defense Acquisition System (DAS) assessment team, there
are only 16 fully/partial mission-capable Hueys in the PAF inventory.
Currently, the PAF is 51 units short of reaching its ideal number of
operational combat utility helicopters.
“The
acquisition of CUHs aims to address the capability shortfall on the number of
utility helicopters in order for the PAF to efficiently perform their missions.
Utility helicopters are deployed all over the Philippines and have proven to be
the most effective platform for the internal security operations (ISO) and the
Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) campaign,” Manalo said.
“With the
present national security condition, the acquisition of additional combat
utility helicopters to augment the existing UH-1H ‘Huey’ fleet is imperative.
The PAF’s primary helicopter is the Huey, which falls under the light lift
category. Having been the workhorse of AFP tactical operations for many years,
the Huey fleet has succumbed to natural attrition due to structural stress and
aircraft accidents,” he added.
An
Acquisition Decision Memorandum (ADM) was issued in March 2012 for the
acquisition of 21 refurbished UH-1H helicopters under negotiated procurement
pursuant to Section 53.2 (Emergency Cases) of the implementing rules and
regulations of RA 9184, s-2003.
The Defense
Department submitted the request to the Government Policy and Procurement Board
(GPPB) for authority to implement through negotiated procurement the said
acquisition project last June 2012. However, last September, the DND received
the GPPB’s decision to conduct public bidding for the UH-1H project instead of
negotiated procurement.
The bid
opening is set on December 4, 2012, with six potential bidders having already
bought the bid documents, signifying their intention to participate in the
bidding process. To avoid the danger of not being able to fully-support the
helicopter lift requirements of the 2013 elections, the PAF has recommended
that the delivery time for the Hueys be not later than February 28, 2013,
Manalo said.
(Inquirer)
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