(PAF photo) MANILA - The two Turkish-made T129 "Atak" attack helicopters delivered to the country last March are now "fully mission capable", the Philippine Air Force (PAF) said Tuesday. Col. Maynard Mariano, PAF spokesperson, said this means that the air assets are ready for their role as a "strike aircraft, with the crew and the pilots done with the training and ready to be employed in areas needed." The two helicopters were declared "fully mission capable" shortly after the Sanay Tudla 2 exercises, held from May 16 to 24 at the Col. Ernesto Rabina Air Base in Capas, Tarlac, were concluded. The T129s are assigned to the PAF's 15th Strike Wing based at the Major Danilo Atienza Air Base in Sangley Point, Cavite City. "As for the geographic assignment, this is something that we cannot disclose," Mariano said. The first two T129s, out of the six ordered from the Turkish Aerospace Industries, arrived in Clark Air Base, Pampanga last Ma
NEW AIR ASSETS. Secretary Delfin Lorenzana with the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey Dr. Ismail Demir during the ceremonial pouring of champagne to one of the T129 "ATAK" helicopters at the 250th Presidential Air Wing Hangar, Villamor Air Base, Pasay City on Wednesday (April 6, 2022). The Philippine Air Force formally accepted two brand-new "ATAK" helicopters and one Airbus Defense and Space C-295 medium lift aircraft. (PAF photo) MANILA - The Philippine Air Force (PAF) had its attack and tactical transport capabilities boosted with the formal acceptance of two brand-new Turkish made T129 "ATAK" helicopters and an Airbus Defense and Space C-295 medium lift aircraft Wednesday. In a statement, PAF spokesperson Col. Maynard Mariano said the formal acceptance, turnover and blessing of the two attack helicopters and a transport aircraft was at the 250th Presidential Air Wing Hangar, Villamor Air Base, Pasay City. He said Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana w
(File photo) MANILA - The Philippine Air Force (PAF) announced that two of the six units of the Turkish-made T129 "ATAK" attack helicopters it has acquired arrived at Clark Air Base, Pampanga early Wednesday. "The PAF welcomes the arrival of two units of T129 'ATAK' helicopters onboard the (Airbus) A-400M from Turkey at 30 minutes past midnight 09 March 2022 at Clark Air Base, Mabalacat City, Pampanga," Air Force spokesperson, Lt. Col. Maynard Mariano, said in a message to reporters. The A-400Ms are cargo aircraft of the Turkish Air Force. In a separate message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Mariano said one of the A-400Ms carried the two helicopters while the other aircraft transported the initial logistics requirement of the two T129s. He also said the helicopters would undergo technical inspection and flight tests before being accepted for service to the PAF. "It will undergo inspection, it will undergo acceptance (test), test flights before th
(File photo) MANILA - The Philippine Air Force (PAF) announced that two of the six units of the Turkish-made T129 "ATAK" attack helicopters it has acquired arrived at Clark Air Base, Pampanga early Wednesday. "The PAF welcomes the arrival of two units of T129 'ATAK' helicopters onboard the (Airbus) A-400M from Turkey at 30 minutes past midnight 09 March 2022 at Clark Air Base, Mabalacat City, Pampanga," Air Force spokesperson, Lt. Col. Maynard Mariano, said in a message to reporters. The A-400Ms are cargo aircraft of the Turkish Air Force. In a separate message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Mariano said one of the A-400Ms carried the two helicopters while the other aircraft transported the initial logistics requirement of the two T129s. He also said the helicopters would undergo technical inspection and flight tests before being accepted for service to the PAF. "It will undergo inspection, it will undergo acceptance (test), test flights before th
DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong (File photo) MANILA - The Department of National Defense (DND) on Monday clarified that the two Turkish-made T129 "ATAK" attack helicopters have yet to arrive in the country, despite reports circulating online that these have arrived on Jan. 8. "Contrary to information circulating online, as of 9 January 2021 the first two units of TAI (Turkish Aerospace Industries) T129 ATAK Helicopters have not arrived in (the) country," DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said in a statement. He added that the DND will issue updates regarding the project as soon as they become available. Then Philippine Air Force chief, Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes, said the first two units out of the six ordered from TAI were scheduled for delivery last December. The DND did not provide a reason why the delivery of the helicopters did not push through as scheduled. The six T129 attack helicopters were acquired for a total contract price of USD269,388,862 (about PHP12.9