7 Hueys to be Mission-Ready: PAF

09 Oktober 2019

Bell UH-1 Huey (photo : PhilNews)

MANILA ---A total of seven UH-1 "Huey" helicopters of the Philippine Air Force (PAF)'s 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing will be mission-capable thanks to the spare parts donated by the Japanese government earlier this year, the PAF spokesperson said Monday.

In a statement, Maj. Aristides Galang said an inspection team from the unit visited the PAF storage unit holding the spares last October 5 and found several items needed for restoring seven of the helicopters in operational status.

Inspected spare parts were main rotor blades, tail rotor blades, and tail rotor driveshaft.

Galang said the items were turned over to the 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing on October 6 and restoration work for the helicopters is ongoing.

The UH-1 spare parts, which were donated by the Japanese government through the Japanese Ministry of Defense, were turned over to the PAF last March 19 at Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga.

"The restoration and maintenance of UH-1 aircraft are vital in performing missions such as humanitarian assistance and disaster response, transport, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance activity of the PAF," Galang said.

Other spare parts will be utilized to readily available "Huey" helicopters to maintain and increase higher operational readiness of the PAF, he added. 

(PNA)