From the Philippine Information Agency (Feb 12, 2021): Newly acquired air assets to boost PH’s military capabilities- Duterte (By Marie Joy S. Carbungco)
CLARK AIR BASE, Pampanga, Feb.12 (PIA) -- President Rodrigo Duterte stressed that the newly-acquired air assets of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) will be a big boost to the government’s military capabilities.
“Our efforts to strengthen our military have been vital in ensuring that we are able to fulfill our sworn and shared duty of protecting our sovereignty and safeguarding the welfare of the Filipino people,” Duterte said.
He congratulated Department of National Defense (DND) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for successfully procuring additional government air assets, which according to him, play an indispensable role in safeguarding the nation.
He shared that every time an old helicopter of the military flies, he feels a bit nervous that it can falter on its own with nobody’s intervention, adding that the constant repair and reboring could take its toll on the helicopter itself.
“When I see wounded soldiers, it grieves me deeply to realize that we can improve on this in terms of fighting capability and the air worthiness. These only shows that our air assets really need to be replaced,” the Commander-In-Chief said.
With these and with the AFP’s recent gains against various terrorist groups, Duterte said he recently approved the proposal to acquire more combat utility vehicles, expressing his confidence that the government’s efforts under the AFP Modernization Program are already paying off.
President Rodrigo Duterte inspects the newly delivered air assets of the Philippine Air Force during his visit at Clark Air Base, Pampanga. (RTVM)
“I am particularly pleased with your efforts to eliminate terrorist groups in Northern Luzon which have led to the genuine peace and sustainable progress in the area, as well as fostered greater camaraderie among the government security forces operating in the region," Duterte said.
With this, he assured the AFP that he will add five more utility vehicles before his term ends.
For his part, PAF Chief Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes thanked the President for his support. “Last year has been a tough year for all of us but with the grace of God and the unending support of the President and our Secretary of National Defense, our vision to become a credible and capable Air Force is progressively coming to fruition,” he said.
Among the military’s newly delivered air assets include one unit of C-130H, six units of S70i Blackhawk Utility Helicopters, six units of A-29B Super Tucanos, six units of Hermes 900 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and four units of Hermes 450 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
Under the Duterte administration, PAF already received 48 aircraft in total. (CLJD/MJSC-PIA 3)
“I am particularly pleased with your efforts to eliminate terrorist groups in Northern Luzon which have led to the genuine peace and sustainable progress in the area, as well as fostered greater camaraderie among the government security forces operating in the region," Duterte said.
With this, he assured the AFP that he will add five more utility vehicles before his term ends.
For his part, PAF Chief Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes thanked the President for his support. “Last year has been a tough year for all of us but with the grace of God and the unending support of the President and our Secretary of National Defense, our vision to become a credible and capable Air Force is progressively coming to fruition,” he said.
Among the military’s newly delivered air assets include one unit of C-130H, six units of S70i Blackhawk Utility Helicopters, six units of A-29B Super Tucanos, six units of Hermes 900 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and four units of Hermes 450 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
Under the Duterte administration, PAF already received 48 aircraft in total. (CLJD/MJSC-PIA 3)
https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1066744
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.