The country's first medium lift C-295 aircraft will be
delivered by Spanish manufacturer EADS/CASA-Airbus Military this coming March
23 or 25 at the latest.
This was confirmed by Department of National Defense (DND)
undersecretary for finance, modernization and materiel Fernando Manalo in a
briefing Monday.
"Our first C-295 (the first out of the three ordered)
will be arriving at Clark Field, Pampanga by March 23 or 25," he said.
Upon arrival, the aircraft will be subjected to technical
inspection and flight tested by Air Force crews before being accepted for
service.
The Philippine Air Force's cargo and transportation
capability is expected to get a much needed boost with the arrival of the first
C-295.
The March delivery date of the first C-295 is five months
earlier than its scheduled August arrival, Manalo said.
With the early arrival of the first aircraft, the DND
undersecretary expects two other aircraft to follow in short order.
EADS/CASA-Airbus Military won the DND's medium lift aircraft
program by tendering a bid of Php5.29 billion for three aircraft last year.
This is lower than the Php5.3-billion stipulated in the
contract.
The PAF's medium lift capability is presently being
fulfilled by its three F-27 "Friendship" aircraft.
"These aircraft will help in troop and limited
equipment movement," DND secretary Voltaire Gazmin earlier said.
The C-295 is described as "a capable and versatile
transport and surveillance aircraft.”
EADS/CASA-Airbus Military stated that the C-295 can carry up
to nine tons of cargo or 71 people.
It also has a maximum cruising speed of 260 knots and
operate in short and rough airfields.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=742869
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