PAF acquires $13.76M worth of unmanned aerial vehicles from US

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has acquired six unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) through a foreign military financing (FMF) grant from the United States.

The six ScanEagle UAVs, which were delivered at the Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base, Pasay City, on March 10 were estimated to amount to $13.76 million.

PAF commanding general Lieutenant General Galileo Gerard Kintanar Jr. said this is the first unmanned aerial system acquired by PAF. The UAVs were turned over to the 300th Air Intelligence and Security Wing, the end-user of the PAF.

The formal acceptance, turnover and blessing ceremony was conducted on Tuesday at the 250th Presidential Airlift Hanga, Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base Grandstand in Pasay City. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim led the ceremony.

Colonel Ernest Lee, chief of the Joint US Military Assistance Group in the Philippines, and other US Embassy representatives were also present during the ceremony.

During his speech, Lorenzana said the Department of National Defense is "grateful" to the US government for "consistently helping the Philippines in purchasing weapons and defense equipment as well as in acquiring defense services and military training" through the FMF.

"This new asset has a state-of-the-art technology that makes it capable of conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR); special services operations; escort operations; sea-lane and convoy protection; protection of high-value and secure installations; as well as high-speed wireless voice video and data communications relay," he said.

He added that given the "super technical specifications" of the ScanEagle, the PAF will be able to use it in support to a variety of missions such as "territorial defense, security and stability."

"With a number of security issues confronting our country, there is a need to upgrade our nation's Armed Forces and to establish a more credible defense. And this acquisition of ScanEagle UAV is one way to modernize the military to deter those who want to wage war against our country," he added.

The ScanEagle will be used to further enhance ground, air, and naval operations as it is capable of performing several missions such as internal security operations, counter-terrorism, and limited maritime patrol.

IN PHOTOS: Philippine Air Force has acquired six ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicles through foreign military financing from the United States. | via @marllybondoc pic.twitter.com/2Ki30RI2HB

— GMA News (@gmanews) March 13, 2018

The reconnaissance drones will also be utilized for humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations as these are “capable of assessing the extent of damage caused by disasters and calamities, as well as locate victims and survivors.”

Aside from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, the military also plans to extend the UAVs' use in "different departments of the government in order to support national development activities such as anti-illegal logging, aerial survey, and anti-dynamite fishing."

Kim, for his part, said the turnover of six UAVs reflects the commitment of US to the alliance and to improving the Philippine military's capabilities.

"I think it represents the strength of our partnership. We really are committed to enhancing the AFP's (Armed Forces of the Philippines) capabilities and we know that ISR assets like the ScanEagle will significantly improve AFP's ability to detect terrorist activities, piracy activities, territory encroachment," he said.

Lorenzana, meanwhile, said the Philippine Navy and Army would also be acquiring their own UAVs.

"Air Force is acquiring this long range with a loiter of about 12 hours or more I think the Navy is also acquiring their own UAVs, later on the Army will also acquiring tactical UAVs to support brigade or battalion size operations and these will all be integrated," he said.

"Hopefully these equipment will be able to communicate with each other and so we will have coverage of all areas, now one aspect of activity that this ScanEagle will be useful is for disaster relief and management," he added. —KG/KBK/RSJ, GMA News