More attack helicopters will be acquired to boost the
Philippine Air Force's existing aircraft fleet, a PAF official said Tuesday.
"The attack helicopter project is a continuing program
up until we are able to close the capability gap. It's laid out in the PAF
Flight Plan 2028 and very much in line with the President's thrust," PAF
Spokesperson Col. Araus Robert Musico said in a message to the PNA.
This would boost the existing MD-520 attack units and
newly-acquired AW-109s, he added. At present, PAF has between 12 to 16 MD-520s
and eight AW-109 attack helicopters.
Attack helicopters, in the Philippine setting, are often
deployed as aerial rocket and machine batteries to help troops in clearing and
pursuit operations.
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte pledged to acquire more
attack helicopters to aid troops in their operations against bandit and lawless
groups.
In its 14-year strategic roadmap called Flight Plan 2028,
the PAF will be able to build up its capability to detect, identify, intercept
and neutralize incursions from "Area Readiness 3 to Area Readiness
1."
"Area Readiness 3" refers to 51 to 74 percent of
Philippine territory while "Area Readiness 1" means 100 percent of
the country's territory which is estimated to be 40,000 square nautical miles.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=909599
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