AFP combat helicopter procurement still on

Despite the government’s ter- mination of the multibillion-peso procurement of 16 combat utility helicopters from Canada, the Phil- ippine Air Force (PAF) helicopter acquisition project is still on.

PAF chief Lt. Gen. Galileo Gerard Kintanar Jr. said that only the chopper deal with Canada was canceled, not the helicopter acquisition project.

“We have served notice to the Canadian firm and we are just waiting for the final instructions to proceed for the Air Force Technical Working Group to look into other alternatives, under the same procurement procedures and processes that is transparent,” Kintanar said.

As to whether the Air Force will now be sourcing its needed combat utility helicopters from Russia, China, India or Turkey, Kintanar said that these countries are just possible sources of the aircraft for now.

“The money is there,” Kintanar said, adding the number of the helicopters the Air Force will be acquiring this time will depend solely on the current funding for 16 B412 combat utility helicopters.

As programmed earlier, the PAF was scheduled to procure 16 Bell 412 combat utility helicopters from a Canadian defense contractor but the deal was cancelled by President Duterte after Canadian lawmakers questioned the multi-billion acquisition in light of the supposed rampant human rights violations being committed under the Duterte administration.

Asked when the new helicopters would be procured and delivered, Kintanar said everything now depends on the technical working group conducting research and evaluation of the helicopter acquisition project.

But under normal circumstances, he said, the determination process usually takes six months and another six months to seal a contract and then another year for delivery.