New Air Force assets to be displayed on anniversary

MANILA, Philippines - The Air Force is expected to display about 50 of its air assets during the celebration of its 67th anniversary today in Clark, Pampanga.

Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Enrico Canaya said the fly-by of the air assets, the highlight of the anniversary program, would show that they are capable of performing their mission.

“This will convey the state  of readiness of the Air Force and that includes the state of readiness of our pilots,” Canaya said in a phone interview Monday.

“These air assets can perform various functions. (The fly-by) will show that we can perform the mission and conduct air operations,” he added.

The Philippine Air Force Flying School’s aerobatic team the “Ravens” will conduct an aerial capability demonstration using SF-260FH/M planes.

Assets that will join the fly by are three S-211 jets, three C-130 Hercules cargo planes, one F-28, 2 F-27 Fokker, three N-22 Nomad planes, two OV-10 Bronco bombers, two SF-260TP warrior, 16 SF-260FH/M trainers, nine T-41D trainers, an LC-210 weather aircraft, four MG-520 gunship helicopters, four UH-1H Huey helicopters, one Bell 205, Huey II, six Sokol rescue helicopters, and three S-76A air ambulances.

Canaya claimed that the persistent joke that the Air Force is “all air and no force” is no longer true.

He said the Air Force is gradually recovering its capabilities as the government implements the armed forces’ upgrade program.

President Aquino will lead the Air Force’s 67th anniversary rites to be held at the Haribon Hangar, Air Force City in Clark Air Base, Pampanga.

Other key personalities who are expected to attend the event are Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Armed Forces chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, and other military officials.

Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado will also lead the awarding of outstanding air men and civilian employees.

The Aquino administration has vowed to upgrade the capabilities of the Air Force, whose inventory has been depleted due to recent crashes.

Under the revised Armed Forces Modernization Program signed into law by the President in 2012, the Air Force will be provided with eight combat utility helicopters, two long-range patrol aircraft, six close-air support aircraft and 12 lead-in fighter trainer jets.

These air assets require a total budget of P34.72-billion, according to the Defense department.

In 2012, Aquino signed a new modernization law that allotted more resources to the armed forces’ upgrade efforts. More than P85 billion is needed to bankroll the program in the next four years.