DND: Japan donates 5 leased aircraft to Philippines Navy

MANILA, Philippines — The five surveillance and patrol aircraft that the Japanese government earlier leased to the Philippines, in support of the country’s territorial and maritime air monitoring, have been donated by Tokyo to the Philippine Navy, the Department of National Defense (DND) said yesterday.

Highlighting last Monday’s bilateral defense talks between the Philippine and Japanese governments held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) was the donation of TC-90 Beechcraft surveillance and patrol planes.

Two of the five TC-90s were delivered to the Navy last March, with three more scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of next year.

All retired patrol and monitoring trainer planes of Japan’s Maritime Self Defense Force, these TC-90s were initially leased by Tokyo to the Philippine government at a token price.

Transfer of the TC-90s was initiated by the Aquino administration, then in search for much needed air assets that it could use to patrol and guard the country’s maritime and territorial domain over the hotly disputed South China Sea.

The Japanese government decided to cancel the lease agreement and instead donate the five planes to the Navy, Director Arsenio Andolong, DND spokesman, said.

Andolong said defense undersecretary for finance, munitions, installations and materiel Raymundo Elefante signed the documents in the presence of his Japanese counterpart for the official transfer of the aircraft.