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| A-29/EMB-314 Super Tucano |
by Gordon Arthur
A requirement for six close air support aircraft (CAS) for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) is in limbo right now, but vendors hope a competition might kick off again in the not too distant future.
RfIs for a CAS platform have been launched three times in recent years but with no result. Aircraft manufacturers are now waiting for a fourth tender. The PAF currently relies mainly on the Rockwell OV-10 Bronco and Alenia Aermacchi SF-260TP for this role.
Reflections at the ADAS 2016 exhibition in Manila were that the PAF set its specifications too high, which ruled out some contenders and resulted in bids that were more expensive than the air force could afford.
The requirement currently seems tied up in bureaucracy, although the PAF may be adjusting its requirements to a more realistic level. President Rodrigo Duterte has prioritised this CAS requirement, which may give the project greater impetus.
Read the full story at Shephard