Philippines looking at SA as option for attack helicopters

A spokesman for the Philippines Air Force (PAF) has been quoted as identifying South Africa as one of the countries that are under consideration to supply his service with new attack helicopters. South Africa is one of the few countries to have developed a dedicated attack helicopter, the Denel Rooivalk (Kestrel, in English).

The PAF is seeking 10 attack helicopters as part of a major modernisation programme. The other countries listed as possible suppliers by Lieutenant Colonel Miguel Okol were Italy, France, Russia and the UK. US helicopters have been ruled out as they are too expensive for the country.

Confusingly, PAF commander Lieutenant General Lauro Catalino de la Cruz was reported to have said that Italian helicopters would be ordered. These would presumably be AgustaWestland AW129 Mongoose attack helicopters.

However, Okol spoke to Agence France-Presse (AFP) after De la Cruz made his comment, suggesting that the general was expressing his personal opinion or spoke ambiguously and had been misunderstood. Whatever the case may be, the acquisition of the new helicopters has been approved and the order should be placed before the end of this year.

The PAF seems to use the term attack helicopter to refer to any armed helicopter and not just dedicated attack designs. This would explain the inclusion of the UK on the list – Britain does not have a dedicated attack helicopter design but the army version of the AgustaWestland Lynx can (and has been) be armed with guns and missiles.

Likewise, the PAF refers to its current force of MD Helicopters MG 520 light armed helicopters as attack helicopters. “What we are going to get are armed attack helicopters ... that can carry more payload than the MG 520,” Okol told AFP. The PAF is also upgrading its MG 520s.

The Denel Rooivalk is not currently in production, but the company could restart manufacture if it received a suitable order. The company has been redelivering Rooivalks upgraded to operational standard to the South African Air Force, a process that should be concluded next month.

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Keith Campbell | EngineeringNews.Co.Za | July 19, 2012 | Article Link

Philippine Air Force levelling up with 10 attack helicopters

MANILA - The Philippines will acquire 10 attack helicopters starting next year in a bid to boost the capabilities of the poorly-equipped military, an air force spokesman said Wednesday.

Italy, Britain, France, Russia and South Africa are all being eyed to supply the helicopters, Lieutenant Colonel Miguel Okol said, although he declined to specify which models were being considered.

The brand new machines will upgrade the fleet of US-made MG-520 light attack helicopters that the air force has been using since the 1990s.

"What we are going to get are armed attack helicopters... that can carry more payload than the MG-520," Okol told AFP.

He declined to specify the cost of the acquisition but said the government had already allocated the required funds.

The new aircraft will be used for "internal security operations, border security and support operations", he said.

The Philippines is battling communist insurgents in rural areas throughout the archipelago, as well as Muslim extremists in the troubled southern regions.

In recent months tensions have also risen with China over conflicting territorial claims in the South China Sea, but Okol said the acquisition of the attack helicopters was unrelated.

The tensions with China have highlighted the weakness of the Philippine military which is one of the most poorly-equipped in the region, relying largely on surplus US equipment.

The Philippines has been refurbishing its ageing MG-520 helicopters, other military sources said.

The country has recently been stepping up its modernization efforts and plans to acquire new fighter-trainer jets and attack and transport planes by 2014, the defence secretary said earlier.

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Agence France-Presse | InterAksyon.Com | July 18, 2012 | Article Link