Notice of Award for Three Heavy-Lift Aircraft Finally Released

06 Maret 2023

The Philippines will be the fourth country in the region to become a C-130J operator after Australia, Indonesia, and New Zealand (photo : TNI AU)

The Department of National Defense has released a Procurement Monitoring Report as of January 2023, wherein it confirmed that Notice of Award has already been released last 29th of December 2022 for the Additional Air Transport Capability Acquisition Project of the Philippine Air Force which involves the acquisition of 3 C-130J Super Hercules heavy tactical transport aircraft from Lockheed Martin.

This project is covered under the 2nd List of Horizon 2 of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program.  

The deal was done through Direct Contracting, which means that it is a Direct Commercial Sale with Lockheed Martin and not through Foreign Military Sales with US Department of Defense.

This allowed for the aircraft to be slightly cheaper but without much support coverage from the US DoD (Dept of Defense), which hopefully is covered by other means by the Philippine DND (Department of National Defense) and PAF (Philippine Air Force).

So far, no official announcement has been made by the DND, PAF, and Lockheed Martin although this might change once a Contract and Notice to Proceed are in place.

The DND report from January so it's highly possible that a contract would be signed soon, or has already been signed between Lockheed Martin and DND.

(Filipinews)