Air Force gets patrol aircraft from SMC

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) received one unit of Beechcraft Corporation Hawker 800XP aircraft from a private corporation which will be used as a command and control aircraft of the military unit.

In a statement, the PAF said it received the airship in a formal acceptance, turn-over and blessing ceremony held at the Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.  Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana was the event's guest of honor.

The aircraft was acquired by the San Miguel Corporation in 2002, which was donated to the Department of National Defense, and then turned over to the PAF.

The Hawker 800XP will work together with, or as an alternative system to the Gulfstream G280 which was acquired by the AFP in 2020.

It will be operated by the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing.

Also those present during the ceremony were AFP Chief of Staff General Andres Centino, AFP Commanding General Lieutenant General Connor Anthony Canlas Sr., Commander of the Air Logistics Command Major General Florante Amano, Commander of the Air Mobility Command Brigadier General Joannis Leonardi Dimaano, Deputy Commander of the 250th Presidential Airlift
Wing Colonel Aldrin Annani and San Miguel Corporation’s president and chief executive officer Ramon Ang.—Jamil Santos/LDF, GMA News