WESCOM’s Carlos inspects, tests Navy Wildcat’s weapon system

From Palawan News (Feb 27, 2024): WESCOM’s Carlos inspects, tests Navy Wildcat’s weapon system (By Celeste Anna Formoso)

Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos, Wescom chief, gives a thumbs-up to the .50 caliber heavy machine gun aboard the AW159 Wildcat Anti-submarine Helicopter after test-firing it in Ternate, Cavite, on February 26. (Photo from the Western Command PIO)

Western Command Chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos took the lead on Monday in inspecting the .50 caliber heavy machine gun onboard the AW159 Wildcat Anti-submarine Helicopter at the Marine Base Gregorio Lim firing range in Ternate, Cavite.

Captain Ariel Joseph Coloma, the public information officer of the Western Command (Wescom), said on Tuesday that Vice Admiral Carlos spearheaded the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee (TIAC) for the Philippine Navy’s (PN) Anti-submarine Helicopter acquisition project on February 26.

He said that drawing upon his extensive naval aviation expertise, Carlos oversaw the inspection to ensure that the helicopter’s weapon systems align with the military’s operational requirements.

Carlos witnessed the actual in-flight test firing of the said armament at the Marine Base Gregorio Lim firing range in Ternate, Cavite yesterday, February 26.

The addition of the .50 caliber heavy machine gun substantially augments the aircraft’s mission capabilities, equipping the AFP with a formidable weapon system to counter potential threats in the maritime domain.

“Vice Admiral Carlos, a naval aviator and former commander of the Naval Air Wing, played a major role in the inception of the PN’s anti-submarine helicopter acquisition project sometime in 2010,” Coloma said.

Present during the test fire and inspection were members of the TIAC, representatives from Leonardo United Kingdom (UK), the Department of National Defense’s (DND) Procurement System Office, the Navy Office for Plans and Programs (N5), and the end-user, represented by Commodore Juario Marayag, commander of the Naval Air Wing.

The AW159 Wildcat Helicopter is a versatile military air asset, developed under license by Leonardo UK, a British aerospace company.

“It is the newest addition to the PN’s maritime air assets and an integral part of the Jose Rizal Class Anti-submarine Frigate’s firepower,” Coloma said.

“As a multi-role platform, it is also designed for missions such as anti-surface warfare, maritime surveillance, maritime interdiction, and other mission-essential and utility operations,” he added.

The acquisition of these helicopters, he said, represents a critical capability upgrade for the Philippine Navy, bolstering its anti-submarine and maritime security operations capabilities.

https://palawan-news.com/wescoms-carlos-inspects-tests-navy-wildcats-weapon-system/