Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (File photo) MANILA - Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday said the contract for the 17 Russian-made Mil Mi-17 heavy-lift helicopters is unlikely to be scrapped for now despite the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. "No, we do not see any likelihood of (of the contract) being scrapped as of this moment," he said in a message to reporters, when asked if the project will still push through despite the conflict. The DND chief added that the heavy-lift helicopter procurement project is a multi-year procurement contract and the delivery of the first batch will be in 24 months. "The heavy-lift helicopter procurement project with Russia is on track. The contract was signed and the down payment (was) done before the Ukraine crisis happened," he said. "Will the Ukraine crisis affect the project? Only time will tell," he added. The DND chief added that the PHP12.7 billion Mil Mi-17
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (Presidential photo) MANILA - Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the down payment for the Philippine Air Force (PAF)'s Russian-sourced heavy-lift helicopter acquisition program will be released soon. "Also, the down payment for the heavy-lift helicopters, I think will be paid soon so that we will have the heavy-lift helicopter, Mi-17, of Russia. Malaking helicopter po iyon (that is a big helicopter)," Lorenzana said on the sidelines of the assumption ceremony of Maj. Gen. Connor Anthony Canlas as the new PAF chief on Tuesday night. Canlas replaced Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes, who retired from the service upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56. The PAF earlier announced that it is looking at the possibility of acquiring heavy-lift helicopters as part of efforts to beef up its helicopter fleet. A heavy-lift helicopter is a type of rotary aircraft capable of lifting large numbers of personnel or cargo. The Mil Mi-17 is a Soviet-de