Philippine Air Force to receive new aircraft from Spanish firm

The government will receive this month one of the three medium-lift fixed-wing aircraft it acquired from a Spanish firm.

Defense Usec. Fernando Manalo said the first C-295 plane will be delivered by Airbus Military in Clark, Pampanga by March 23 to 25.

“It will be the first delivery of the brand new aircraft. We will be there to receive the aircraft delivered from Spain,” Manalo said.

The Air Force welcomed the development, saying the aircraft would provide added capability in times of disaster.

“It will serve as additional transport support for the Armed Forces’ requirements (and complement) the three existing C-130s,” Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Enrico Canaya said.

“They will be especially helpful in HADR operations,” he added, referring to the military’s humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

Last year, The STAR reported that Airbus Military won the bidding for the supply of three medium-lift fixed-wing aircraft worth P5 billion.

The notice of award was issued to the aircraft manufacturer in February 2014.

Airbus offered to supply three C-295 planes for P5.29 billion, lower than the approved budget of P5.3 billion.

Airbus said the C-295 is “the most capable and versatile transport and surveillance aircraft.” It can carry as much as nine tons of payload or up to 71 people at a maximum cruise speed of 480 kilometers per hour.

The acquisition is expected to boost the overall lift capability of the Air Force.

The two other C-295 planes are scheduled to arrive next year.

Other aircraft due for delivery this year include six units of close air support aircraft worth P4.97 billion, eight units of combat utility helicopters worth P4.8 billion, eight attack helicopters worth P3.44 billion, two lead-in fighter trainer jets worth P3.16 billion and two units of light-lift aircraft worth P813 million.

By: Alexis Romero Yahoo/PhilStar

1st C-295 aircraft to be delivered within 18 months

Should EADS/CASA-Airbus Military pass the post qualification stage set by the Department of National Defense (DND) for its P5.3 billion medium lift fixed wing project, the first of three C-295 aircraft will be delivered within 18 months upon the opening of the letter of credit.

This will begin by Feb. 1 when members of the technical working group have arrived in Spain, DND undersecretary Fernando Manalo said.

Upon delivery of the first aircraft, the second plane will be delivered after four months and the third after another four months.

EADS/CASA-Airbus Military was declared the only eligible bidder for the DND's medium lift fixed-wing aircraft after competitor PT Dirgantara Indonesia was declared out of the running for its failure to meet the requirements of the DND.

The DND Special Bids and Awards Committee-1 (SBAC-1) said PT Dirgantara’s plane, the C-235, was not compliant with the technical specifications provided by the bid documents.

It added that the Indonesian manufacturer's plane could only carry 34 paratroopers, lower than the 40 set by the DND.

The bid documents also required that the aircraft can carry 11,000 pounds at 950 nautical miles but PT Dirgantara’s plane can only carry 10,120 pounds.


The Spanish aircraft manufacturer offered to supply three C-295 aircraft for P5.29 billion or slightly lower then the P5.3 billion contract price set by the DND.

Article Source: PNA

DND to probe accidents of Spanish firm's planes

The Defense department on Monday vowed to look into the accidents involving the aircraft being offered by a Spanish firm to the Air Force.
 
The company, EADS/CASA - Airbus Military, was declared the only eligible bidder for the supply of three new medium lift fixed-wing aircraft worth P5.3-billion. It offered to supply C-295 planes for P5.29-billion during the bidding for the project held this month.

The said aircraft model, however, figured in recent controversies that raised doubts on its quality. These include the 2008 crash which claimed the lives of 20 persons in Poland and the decision of the Czech military to return faulty C-295 planes to EADS/CASA.

Defense officials, however, said the plane’s quality will be scrutinized when they conduct the post-qualification phase.

“At present, we cannot offer any conclusion but we will continue to verify the accidents involving the C-295 during the post qualification phase,” Defense Assistant Secretary Patrick Velez said.

The post-qualification phase allows defense officials to determine whether the planes being offered by EADS/CASA are compliant with the standards they set.

Velez cited reports stating that the 2008 air mishap was caused by human error and not due to the plane’s quality.

EADS/CASA claimed that the Polish Air Force acquired five more C-295 planes four years after the crash but this would be verified by defense officials.

The post-qualification phase for the medium lift fixed-wing aircraft has been slated for next month in Spain.

The Airbus website described the C-295 planes as “the most capable and versatile transport and surveillance aircraft.” The air assets is said to be capable of carrying up to nine tons of payload or up to 71 personnel, at a maximum cruise speed of 260 kt or 480 km/h.

Meanwhile, the Defense department rejected an appeal by an Indonesian firm for it to be declared as an eligible bidder for the project.

PT Dirgantara Indonesia joined the bidding for the medium lift fixed-wing aircraft but was disqualified due to its failure to meet some requirements.

The company filed for a motion for reconsideration but this was rejected yesterday by the Special Bids and Awards Committee 1 (SBAC-1).

The SBAC-1 said PT Dirgantara’s plane was not compliant with the technical specifications provided by the bid documents.

The company’s aircraft can only carry 34 paratroopers, lower than the 40 set by the Defense department. The bid documents also required that the aircraft should have a payload of 11,000 lbs. at 950 nautical miles but PT Dirgantara’s plane can only carry 10,120 lbs.

Article Source: The Philippine Star

Spanish firm sole eligible bidder for P5.3B Philippine Air Force aircraft

A Spanish firm has been declared the only eligible bidder for the supply of three new Air Force medium lift fixed-wing aircraft worth P5.3-billion.

EADS/CASA - Airbus Military was the sole bidder that met the Defense department’s technical and financial requirements during Monday's bidding in Camp Aguinaldo.

It offered to supply the aircraft for about  P5,289 billion, lower than the P5.3-billion approved budget for the project.

The Spanish company plans to deliver C-295 planes, which were described by the Airbus website as “the most capable and versatile transport and surveillance aircraft.” Airbus said the air assets can carry up to nine tons of payload or up to 71 personnel, at a maximum cruise speed of 260 kt or 480 km/h.

The C-295 plane manufactured by EADS/CASA landed on the news in previous years due to issues involving its quality.

Reports published in 2012 said the Czech military had returned the C-295 planes to EADS/CASA after they were found to be faulty. The same model figured in a 2008 crash in Poland that left 20 people dead.

Philippine defense officials, however, are expected to inspect the planes during the bidding’s post-qualification phase. The phase will allow the Defense department to validate the claims made by the bidder in its documents and to assess the quality of aircraft to be supplied.

The post-qualification phase is expected to begin within the month or after the SBAC-1 addresses the issues raised by Italian firm Alenia Aermacchi, one of the firms that expressed interest on the project. 

“Since the post qualification will be in Spain, it will probably take not less than one week to do the post qualification,” Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo said.

Alenia Aermacchi has questioned the source of funding for the project as well as the supposed links between EADS/CASA - Airbus Military and the other bidder PT Dirgantara Indonesia.

Defense officials vowed to respond to the complaints of Alenia Aermacchi once they are filed formally.

Two companies submitted offers for the project, which is one of the big-ticket items in the military’s upgrade program.

The other bidder, PT Dirgantara Indonesia, was declared ineligible because its offer did not satisfy some technical specifications.

The Air Force technical working group said PT Dirgantara’s planes could only carry 34 troopers while the requirement states that it should be at least 40. The Indonesian firm’s offer is also not compliant with some payload requirements.

Part of EADS/CASA’s bid is a P795.87 million worth of integrated logistics, which include training and spare parts.

If EADS/CASA - Airbus Military satisfies the post-qualification requirements, it will be declared the winning bidder.

Defense Assistant Secretary Patrick Velez said the first of the three planes may be delivered in the latter part of the year. The Air Force may receive the remaining two aircraft within eight months after the initial delivery.

Article Source: The Philippine Star