USA formally offers 2nd warship to AFP of the Philippines

Philippines top military official exposed Saturday (18^th February 2012) that the United States has formally offered to the Philippines a second warship that is expected to boost the country's territorial defense capability.

Navy chief Vice Admiral Alexander Pama said the US sent last week a letter notifying them about the availability of another US Coast Guard cutter, Dallas.

"They (US) sent a letter offering us formally (the ship). They are telling us this is available and their government has approved (the giving of the ship to the Philippines). They are asking us if we are interested," Pama said.

He said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is expected to reply to the letter next week.

"We will respond to the letter and tell them that we are interested. Once they receive that, the formal, detailed discussion would start," Pama said.

The Navy chief said the transfer of the warship might be held in May if discussions run smoothly.

"If the talks are continuous and smooth flowing, we are looking at a formal transfer to be held in May," Pama said.

The transfer cost would be funded by proceeds from the Malampaya natural gas project off Palawan that the Department of Energy will provide.

Officials have said the transfer cost for the cutter Dallas would be close to the P450 million spent for the first Coast Guard cutter that the Philippine Navy acquired last year.

The first Coast Guard cutter that was converted into the BRP Gregorio del Pilar was acquired from the US Coast Guard last year to improve the Philippines' territorial defense capability.

The Gregorio del Pilar is the Navy's first Hamilton-class vessel and was acquired under the US Foreign Military Sales program.

The ship is 380 feet long and is now the Navy's largest ship. The ship is currently deployed in Palawan since Dec. 23 to secure the country's natural resources.

The Philippines deployed the ship amid a territorial row over the Spratly Islands, an area in the West Philippine Sea that is rich in mineral and marine resources.

The Philippines, China, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan claim either part or the entire Spratly Islands, which has been the subject of a territorial dispute in the region.

Last November, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said her government is ready to provide a second war ship to the Philippines.

Clinton, who visited Manila to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty, said the US would remain "in the corner" of the Philippines, its "trusted ally."

Early this month, US Rep. Ed Royce said the ship "should soon be on its way to Manila" and that the review process for its transfer would be completed soon.

Dallas is a weather high-endurance cutter and has features similar to that of Gregorio del Pilar.

The US Coast Guard had used the ship for drug and migrant interdiction, law enforcement, search and rescue, living marine resources protection, and defense readiness.

The ship can accommodate up to 180 officers and sailors.

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₱2.8 billion New combat choppers arrives Philippines airbase

 

Four new combat utility helicopters acquired from two foreign firms have arrived in the country, the military said yesterday.

Armed Forces deputy chief for plans and programs Maj. Gen. Roy Deveraturda said the helicopters arrived at Clark Airbase in Pampanga.

"We can use these for transporting troops, air evacuation of the wounded or disaster response," Deveraturda told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Miguel Okol said the helicopters were purchased from Augusta PZL Swidnik of Italy and Poland.

Okol said four more combat utility helicopters from Augusta PZL Swidnik are expected to arrive in the last quarter of the year.

The eight helicopters are worth ₱2.8 billion.

Okol said the "Sokol" (Polish for "falcon") helicopter is an ideal air asset since it can be fitted with equipment depending on its mission.

He said the helicopters are night-vision goggle-capable and equipped with an SN 350 Autopilot.

Each Sokol helicopter can accommodate 10 passengers and reach a maximum range of 402 nautical miles in a single flight with airspeed of 140.5 knots.

"A Sokol is fitted with gun mounts for the M-60D MG [7.62mm machinegun] on both sides and when utilized during search and rescue or over water operations, it can be equipped with pilot-controlled Emergency Floatation Gear attached to the lowest portion of the aircraft," the Air Force said.

The Air Force has 40 operational utility helicopters in its inventory.

Some P3.4-billion worth of military modernization projects will be completed this year. The projects include the delivery of eight combat utility helicopters, three multi-purpose attack craft, equipment for coast watch stations, and 33 multi-purpose rocket launchers for the Presidential Security Group.

Deveraturda said the delivery of the four helicopters set into concrete action the eight-year modernization program that Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin charted for the Armed Forces.

Gazmin wants to acquire armored vehicles, radar systems, missile-guided and multirole vessels and aircraft that include f-16 fighter jets under the program with a projected total cost of at least ₱70 billion.

Since the amount needed is too large, he said the acquisition will be pursued through a Congress-approved Multi-Year Obligation Agreement, with government to government as the procurement mode.

Deveraturda said the military is also hoping to sign the contract for the delivery of another Hamilton class cutter from the United States until March 2012 this year.

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