AFP Adds Military Trucks from KIA

Kia KM500 5,0 tonnes 6x6 truck (photo : Timawa)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine’s defense chief says the government has signed separate contracts worth 163 billion pesos (about $39 million) with Italian and South Korean companies to supply helicopters and trucks as part of efforts to modernize its poorly equipped military.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said Thursday the Philippines will purchase three multi-purpose AW 109 helicopters for its navy from AugustaWestland SPA of Italy amounting to 1.33 billion pesos ($32 million).

He says Kia Motors Corp. will supply 60 field ambulances and 12 trucks all worth 300.78 million ($7.33 million) pesos.

Kia KM451 field ambulance (photo : top81)

Gazmin says the purchases show the country’s “louder and clearer” intent to modernize its military.

The Philippine military is fighting a decades-long communist insurgency and battling Islamic militants while facing increasing tension over territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea.

(Inquirer)

Contract for Acquisition of Naval Helicopters Signed

AW-109 Power helicopter (photo : HoverControl)

DND Office for Public Affairs | 27 December 2012 - The contract of agreement for the acquisition of three naval helicopters was signed at the Department of National Defense last December 20, 2012.

With a contract price of PhP 1, 337,176,584.00 and signed between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and supplier AugustaWestland S.P.A, the acquisition project was done under negotiated procurement through Section 53.2 (Emergency Procurement) of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of R.A. 9184.

“The acquisition of these naval helicopters is one concrete step towards the fulfillment of our goal to modernize the Philippine Navy, and our Armed Forces in general,” Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin said.

On November 28, 2012, AugustaWestland was declared by the Naval Helicopter Acquisition Project (NHAP) Negotiating Committee as the single calculated and responsive proponent after going through the process of a negotiated procurement.

The Italian Ministerio Della Difesa conducted a review of AugustaWestland’s proposal for the procurement of AW 109 Power Helicopter, including related logistic support and found out that the price per helicopter “seems to have been progressively reduced”, meaning they were sold cheaper.

Upon the recommendation of the DND Bids and Awards Committee, the Secretary of National Defense issued a notice of award last December 4, 2012.

“With the other projects in the pipeline and our planned acquisition, we are now louder and clearer in our intent to upgrade the capability of our AFP to address its constitutional duty to “secure the sovereignty of the state and the integrity of the national territory’,” Gazmin said. ***

(Phil DND)

PCG Not Expecting New Ships in 2013

Ten 40-meter MRRVs to be used by the Philippine Coast Guard expected to arrive in 2014 (photo : Militaryphotos)

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said yesterday it is not expecting to receive additional ships in 2013, but the Aquino administration is purchasing at least 10 new vessels that are scheduled to arrive at least by 2014.

“Since all of the ships to be purchased by the Coast Guard are brand new, it would take some months to construct. So hopefully, by 2014 they would start arriving,” PCG commandant Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena said.

When he took over as PCG chief last Dec. 14, Isorena said one of his priorities is to improve the agency’s capabilities.

He said Malacañang has given its approval to procure 10 40-meter search and rescue vessels from Japan that will be delivered within three years, from 2014 until 2017.

There are also plans to procure an 82-meter ship and four 24-meter vessels from France, but Isorena said these are not yet final.

(PhilStar)

A Hercules aircraft PAF Ready to Join Back Early 2013

C-130B Hercules aircraft with tail number 3633 (photo: PPS)
 
A Hercules C-130B aircraft with tail number 3633 have completed the treatment done in Depo 410th Maintenance Wing in Clark Air Base, Philippines, and will rejoin the Philippines Air Force operations in early 2013.

Earlier in October 2012, a C-130H Hercules aircraft with tail number (tail number) 7607 has also been handed over back completes its maintenance and repair at BAE Systems facility are located in Mojave, California.

With the completion of the maintenance and repair of the Philippines Air Force currently has three operational Hercules, one C-130H Hercules is the tail number 4726.

Hercules is operated by 222nd Airlift Squadron of the 220th Airlift Wing located at Benito Ebuen Air Base, Lapu-lapu, Cebu.

Philippines Air Force has had 13 aircraft consisting of 8 Hercules C-130B, 1 L-100, L-2 100-20 and 2 C130H.

In August 2008 a series Hercules L-100-20 with tail number 4593 crashed and killed dozens of people.

President Noynoy Aquino on several occasions wanting Hercules aircraft increase at least 2 more planes for relief work in disaster relief as well as for the transfer task forces.

Previously had circulated the news about the planned purchase of the C-130H ex Tunisian Air Force, but the plan was ultimately canceled in mid-2011.

New Navy Chief Eyes ‘Desired Force Mix’ to Defend Territorial Waters

Philippine's Fleet "desired force mix" will consists of three submarines, six frigates for anti-air warfare, 12 corvettes for anti-submarine warfare, 18 offshore patrol vessels, three anti-mine vessels, four sealift vessels, 18 landing craft utility vessels, three logistics ships, 12 coastal interdiction patrol boats, 30 patrol gunboats and 42 multi-purpose assault crafts. (photo : defenceweb)

MANILA, Philippines - Newly-installed Navy flag officer in command Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano wants to retire the country's old and "antiquated" ships and replace them with new ones to better protect the country's territorial waters.

Alano, in his speech at the turnover ceremonies on Wednesday, said these old ships were deemed "excess baggage" for the country's naval force and he vowed to "rationalize current operational assets, review the modernization program, taking a deliberate look at the phase-in and phase-out scheme."

Alano replaced Vice Admiral Alexander Pama.

Alano, who once served as the head of the country's Navy Fleet, said he would recommend equipment that would make the Navy a "relevant" force in defending the country's territory, amid the ongoing dispute with China over islands in the West Philippine Sea.

"I come at an opportune time, when we are fleeting up with new capabilities like WHECs (weather high endurance cutters), frigates, naval helicopters, MPACs (multi-purpose attack crafts), AAVs (amphibious assault vehicles), as well as individual Marine and special warfare combat equipment," he said.

Alano also vowed to review the country's "active archipelagic defense" strategy with an eye at achieving the Fleet's "desired force mix."

According to an article published on Phil Fleet last April, the Fleet's "desired force mix" consists of six frigates for anti-air warfare, 12 corvettes for anti-submarine warfare, 18 offshore patrol vessels, three submarines, three anti-mine vessels, four sealift vessels, 18 landing craft utility vessels, three logistics ships, 12 coastal interdiction patrol boats, 30 patrol gunboats and 42 multi-purpose assault crafts.

President Benigno Aquino III said the recent signing of the New AFP Modernization Act would give the military P75 million in the next five years to procure much-needed land, air and sea assets.

"Dapat lang na maghanda na ang ating Pambansang Tanggulan sa pagdagsa ng ating mga bagong truck, eroplano, mga dekalibreng armas, at iba pang modernong kagamitan para sa buong kasundaluhan (the Armed Forces should be prepared for the arrival of new trucks, airplanes, firearms, and other modern equipment for the entire military)," Aquino said in his speech.

Aquino also said that in just over a year, his administration was able to put in P28 billion for the AFP, allowing the military to procure two Hamilton class cutters (BRP Gregorio del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz) and the arrival of BRP Tagbanua, the first Filipino-made landing craft utility.

(Interaksyon)

Bidding for Purchase of 21 Helicopters Fails

PAF's UH-1 Huey helicopter (photo : LightAJ)

MANILA, Philippines - The bidding for the purchase of 21 UH-1 helicopters has been declared a failure after bidders fell short of satisfying some requirements, a defense official said yesterday.

Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said the two firms that submitted offers had failed to meet certain eligibility requirements.

The opening of bids for the 21 helicopters was held last Tuesday at the Department of National Defense (DND) office in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

The government seeks to use the helicopters to meet the airlift requirements during the 2013 polls and to conduct disaster response operations.

Six companies bought bid documents but only two – Star Defense System/Radom Israel and Rise Aircraft Services Inc. – joined the bidding.

Manalo told The STAR among the issues tackled during the bidding is whether the bidders can deliver the helicopters by the end of February.

The Air Force previously recommended that the helicopters be delivered by Feb. 28, 2013 to meet the higher demand for airlift requirements during the  elections.

Manalo said the two firms could still ask the DND Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) to reconsider its decision to declare them ineligible to bid. If the companies submit motions for reconsideration, the BAC will tackle them in a meeting next week.

Another bidding may be held in the event that the BAC rejects the motion for reconsideration of the bidders.

Despite the failed bidding, Manalo gave assurance that efforts are being undertaken to fast-track the military’s upgrade efforts.

The UH-1 or Huey, which falls under the light lift category, is the primary helicopter of the Air Force.

The Air Force, then led by Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena, made the request for additional Hueys in 2011.

The DND originally sought to acquire the 21 helicopters through negotiated procurement under emergency cases.

DND had asked the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) to allow it to tap negotiated procurement under emergency in buying the helicopters, saying the state of the military’s inventory reflects “a large capability gap.”

The GPPB, however, said the acquisition should be done through public bidding, a longer process than negotiated procurement.

There are only 16 mission-capable Hueys in the Air Force inventory, 51 units short of the ideal number of operational combat utility helicopters.

(PhilStar)

Philippine Loses Chance to Acquire Attack Helicopters

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)