In what could be the most welcome development for the AFP Modernization Program, the Department of National Defense (DND) on Friday announced that contract signing for the 12 Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) F/A-50 "Golden Eagle" jet aircraft will take place this March 28.
This was confirmed by DND undersecretary for finance, modernization, installations and munitions Fernando Manalo.
"As far as our schedule is concerned, it will be on March 28," he confirmed.
The contract for the 12 F/A-50 is worth P18.9 billion.
In attendance for the signing is DND Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff Gen. Emmanuel T. Bautista and Air Force and other major service commanders, KAI president and the head of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and Ambassador of South Korea to the Philippines.
When asked what prompted the change of signing date to March 28 or six day late from the March 22 announced by Gazmin, Manalo said that this was done to accommodate the request of KOTRA as their president will not be available at that time.
"I was told that the president of KOTRA will accompany the President of South Korea in her official visit to
He added that the contract signing is very significant as the F/A-50 deal is a government-to-government one and that this is a manifestation of the trust of the two countries to enhance their cooperation on logistics, so that the opportunity for a government to government transaction will be strengthened.
Manalo welcomed this development as the F/A-50s will give the AFP its minimum credible defense posture capability.
The new jet planes will also highlight the fact that the AFP is now capable of doing its territorial defense mandate.
As this developed, Manalo also said that the DND will also sign the contract for the eight combat utility helicopters with Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) this Friday.
The project is worth P4.8 billion.
Like the F/A-50, this is also a government-to-government contract.
CCC is the designated Canadian agency for the government-to-government procurement of equipment.
"Three of these eight helicopters will be configured as a VIP helicopter and the delivery we are able to negotiate that if the contract will be signed within the month of March, first quarter of 2014, then they’ll be able to deliver at least three of the helicopters in September in time for the hosting of the Philippines of the APEC," Manalo stressed
He added that these new helicopters are intended to replace the five aging
Manalo said that these new helicopters are also variants of the
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