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| F/A-50 Golden Eagle (File Photo) |
By Genalyn Kabiling
The government is finalizing the purchase of more aircraft and weapons for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to boost its capacity to guard the nation’s territory and conduct search and rescue operations.
At the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) graduation rites in Baguio City, President Aquino announced that the government is set to purchase 12 lead-in fighter trainer jets for “territorial defense operation.”
The FA-50 trainer jets would reportedly be acquired from South Korea for P18.9 billion as part of the Armed Forces modernization program. The contract is expected to be signed this month.
At least 63,000 new rifles will likewise be distributed to the country’s soldiers in the coming months, the President said. The new weapons, Aquino said, will replace the units dating back to the Vietnam War years.
“With these new weapons, we can finally retire the weapons used by our soldiers before the Siklab-Diwa class was born,” he said in Filipino.
Combat Choppers
The President said the government also plans to procure an additional eight combat utility helicopters “that will fly our skies for search and rescue and disaster relief missions by 2016.”
Public bidding for the purchase of two twin-engine naval anti-submarine helicopters will also start soon, according to the President.
The imminent purchase of military equipment will be on top of the new modern ships, eight Sokol helicopters, three Navy helicopters and other vessels already being used by the Armed Forces, the President said.
Aquino assured that the government will continue to equip the AFP with better weapons and vessels as well as improve their benefits.
Read the full story at Manila Bulletin