Philippine Air Force earmarks Php 59M for maintenance of 5 C-130 planes

File photo from Philippine Air Force

The Philippine Air Force (PAF), through its Bids and Awards Committee, is looking for suppliers capable of supplying it with spare parts needed for the maintenance of the environmental systems of five of its Lockheed C-130 cargo aircraft.

The parts are intended for PAF C-130B/H/T planes with tail numbers 3633, 4704, 4726, 5011 and 5040. Budget for the project, as posted in the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System, is placed at PHP58,870,000.

Philippines junks plan to buy 'ageing' F16s

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippines has abandoned plans to purchase “ageing” F16 fighter jets from the United States after deciding repairing and refurbishing the aircraft would cost too much.

“F16 is an ageing air asset that will be given to us. It’s mothballed and if you’re going to refurbish it, we have to evaluate because it will cost too much,” Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin told a news briefing.

Even after refurbishing, he added, the jets would only have three to four years of flying time left.

“Lugi ka (You lose),” Gazmin said.

The defense chief said the fighter jets were not brought up during the 2+2 meeting with US officials in Washington.

However, the Philippine government has lined up the purchase of several air assets,
including 21 Vietnam War-vintage UH1H helicopters, 10 attack helicopters and two C130 cargo planes.

The Philippines is also expecting four additional SoKol choppers within the year.

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Abigail Kwok | Interaksyon.com | May 9, 2012 | Article Link

'Spy plane' crashes in Kidapawan

NORTH COTABATO -- An aircraft believed to be a US spy plane crashed in Kidapawan City on Sunday evening.

A spot report from Kidapawan City police showed that the caretakers of a farm lot owned by Cotabato Representative Bernardo Pinol (2nd district) located in Barangay Meohaw were alarmed to see the falling suspicious looking object. 

The caretakers reported the incident to the police to check if the crashed aircraft is really a US spy plane.

The plane bore markings that read "Lockheed onga," probably a brand name from Mexico with address at Marion, MA 02738 USA.

Kidapawan City Police Director Renante Cabico said the aircraft is not too heavy but he suspects it as a weather data gathering instrument.

Many believe that the aircraft is a US spy plane used by the American soldiers participating in Balikatan exercises in Mindanao because of the device or transmitter found inside the plane.

Police investigation is still ongoing.

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Edgardo Fuerzas | SunStar.Com.Ph | May 8, 2012 | Article Link