Eurocopter AS555C3 Fennec demostrator for Pakistan Army (photo : waqttv)
MANILA,
Philippines - The Philippines has lost an opportunity to acquire 10 attack
helicopters from France, a defense official said recently.
Department
of National Defense (DND) spokesman Peter Galvez said the 10 attack helicopters
initially offered by a French firm are no longer available.
The
helicopters had been re-offered to Pakistan by the time the DND was given
permission to acquire them through negotiations.
“The
helicopters were produced for Pakistan. However, Pakistan had some problems
with procurement so the helicopters were opened to the market,” Galvez told The
STAR.
“We had
planned to acquire the helicopters and had to clarify some questions (by
agencies overseeing the procurement). By the time we were allowed to acquire
the helicopters, Pakistan had initiated some moves to rework the procurement,”
he added.
These
developments prompted French firm Eurocopter to offer the helicopters again to
Pakistan.
The
helicopters could have been used by the military to defend the country’s
territorial integrity and conduct internal security operations.
Despite the
apparent setback to its modernization efforts, the DND said it continues to
find suppliers that can upgrade the military’s capabilities.
“We are now
looking into other short-listed participants from European countries,” Galvez
said.
“We are
working double-time to meet the time frame we set despite the drawbacks we are
encountering,” he added.
As early as
June 18, 2012, the DND asked the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) to
allow it to acquire the helicopters through negotiated procurement under a
defense cooperation agreement with France, documents obtained by The STAR
showed.
DND again
wrote to the GPPB on July 10 to reiterate the “pressing need” to acquire the 10
attack helicopters, along with 21 UH-1 helicopters and three naval helicopters.
Sources said
the GPPB, composed of representatives from different agencies, only meets once
a month.
DND
documents also showed that a GPPB meeting scheduled last July 18 that was
supposed to discuss the request was postponed due to lack of quorum. Another
reason for the postponement was the failure of GPPB to name a chair and
alternate chair for its review committee. The meeting was reset to Aug. 1.
On Aug. 10,
the GPPB denied DND’s request to acquire the helicopters through negotiated
procurement under a defense cooperation agreement. GPPB said DND had “failed to
meet the requirement to negotiate directly with an agency or instrumentality of
another country.”
It
recommended that DND acquire the helicopters through negotiated procurement
under emergency case, which involves talks with suppliers rather than with
governments.
(PhilStar)
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