MANILA, Philippines - A Spanish firm has been declared the only eligible bidder for the supply of three new Air Force medium lift fixed-wing aircraft worth P5.3 billion.
EADS/CASA-Airbus Military was the only one to meet the defense department’s technical and financial requirements during yesterday’s bidding in Camp Aguinaldo.
It offered to supply the aircraft for P5,288,609,983.99, lower than the P5.3-billion approved budget for the project.
The Spanish company plans to deliver C-295 planes described by the Airbus website as “the most capable and versatile transport and surveillance aircraft.”
Airbus said the air assets can carry up to nine tons of payload or up to 71 personnel, at a maximum cruise speed of 260 kt or 480 km/h.
The C-295 plane manufactured by EADS/CASA landed in the news in previous years due to issues involving its quality.
Reports published in 2012 said the Czech military had returned the C-295 planes to EADS/CASA after they were found to be faulty.
The same model figured in a 2008 crash in Poland that left 20 people dead.
Defense officials are expected to inspect the planes during the bidding’s post-qualification phase.
It will allow the defense department to validate claims in the bidder’s documents and to assess the quality of aircraft to be supplied.
The post-qualification phase is expected to begin within the month or after the SBAC-1 deals with the issues raised by Italian firm Alenia Aermacchi, one of the firms that expressed interest in the project.
Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said the post qualification will probably take not less than one week since it will be done in Spain.
(PhilStar)
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar