PN Maritime Patrol Aircraft (TC-90) Project

[roystik]

How much of an upgrade is this compared to the aircraft currently in use?

[Juramentado]

Longer range, better performance because of turboprop engines, pressurization to fly higher. They are stripped of any surveillance equipment, so another case of FFBNW.

[adroth]

https://youtu.be/XSyz6ts77ao

"Commemorative ceremony at the Tokushima base for the first time owner's own helicopter to the Philippine army
A commemorative ceremony was held at the Sea Tokushima Air Base (Tokushima Prefecture Matsushige Town) when two Maritime Self-Defense Force training machines "TC 90" leased to the Philippine Navy departed on the 23rd to the site. It is the first time to hand over the SDF units to other countries. Three other aircraft will be handed over within 2017."

[12th BCT]

Longer range, better performance because of turboprop engines, pressurization to fly higher. They are stripped of any surveillance equipment, so another case of FFBNW.

What surveillance equipment where they equipped with? What were stripped?

[Juramentado]

Unknown, but only the UC-90 (and there is only one in the JMSDF King Air fleet) was equipped with photoreconnaisance equipment. I posted a photo of it's belly on the Facebook page - there's a window on the underside just forward of the rear loading stairs.

http://flyteam.jp/photo/372257/L

So with the miniaturization of photo equipment today, you could put a lot of things there as long as the window and perspective support the camera's use.

Is the plan to equip all of them, including the TC models with some form of EO? I guess that's another option, but it would mean external payloads or making mods to the plane to accommodate say a SAFIRE FLIR turret for example. Hopefully the Lease Terms will allow that.

[12th BCT]

RECCE PODS.

Perhaps that would be a viable option.

Was any of the PAF F-5s or F-8s ever decked out to perform 0photographic recce?

[40niner]

A few days ago, a reportedly photo at Laoag Airport was posted at AMDR (aseanmildef).


These two JMSDF(yet) units, with tail numbers -- 6822 and 6824, reported flew into Villamor then later today to Sangley for its turn-over to PN.  6822 is model C90A, and was sold in 1987, while 6824 is model C90B and was sold in 1993.   Accdg to manufacturer's (Beechcraft) memo, subtle differences exists between the models (afa commercial specs), such as improved propellers, etc.  Not sure if still holds true under JMSDF service.

202 on the tail is the mother unit of these TC-90s -- 202 Kyoiku Kokutai (202nd Naval Air Training Squadron) based in Matsushige, Tokushima, Japan.

[dr demented]

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&nid=1&rid=975229

PN formally accepts 2 Japanese TC-90s in Sangley Point ceremony

SANGLEY POINT CAVITE, March 26 (PNA) -- The Philippine Navy (PN)'s humanitarian and patrol capability got a big boost the Japan Ministry of Defense (JMOD) formally transferred two units of the Beechcraft TC-90 training aircraft Monday morning.

Transfer ceremonies took place at the Naval Air Group headquarters, Naval Base Heracleo Alano, Sangley Point, Cavite City.

The two aircraft landed at the said facility around 10 a.m.

Present during the transfer ceremony was Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and his JSMOD counterpart Kenji Wakamiya.

PN spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna said these aircraft were leased from the JMOD as part of the Navy's efforts to enhance its capability in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, limited transport, and maritime domain awareness including maritime air surveillance and intelligence surveillance reconnaissance.

The whole project involves five units of TC-90s. The remaining three units are expected to arrive by mid-2018.

Last November, two PN pilots and six air crews left for Japan to start their TC-90 flight training.

The Department of National Defense (DND) earlier announced that the Philippines will be re-equipping the TC-90s as Japan have stripped of some its equipment, including its surveillance systems.

The country will pay Japan USD7,000 each for the first four aircraft yearly and only USD200 for the fifth, or total of USD28,200 as stipulated in its lease agreement.

The DND added it is also looking at the possibility of using the TC-90 for 20 years while the military is upgrading its equipment.

The TC-90, which is part of the Beechcraft King Air aircraft family, was offered by Japan shortly after the Agreement Concerning the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology was finalized last Feb. 29, 2016.

The TC-90's patrol range is double those of small Philippine aircraft which only has a maximum range of 300 kilometers. (PNA)
PRIAM F. NEPOMUCENO

[SG99n1]

Japanese TC-90s are unique model because they have "local" avionics. what does that mean?

[adroth]

Small planes for PH Navy signal Japan's growing security role
President Rodrigo Duterte's pronouncements of dislike for US makes the country's relations with Japan very crucial

Carmela Fonbuena
@carmelafonbuena
Published 7:47 PM, March 28, 2017
Updated 7:50 PM, March 28, 2017

http://www.rappler.com/nation/165457-tc90-philippines-new-principles-defense-transfer

MANILA, Philippines – The small hand-me-down patrol planes from the former World War II enemy do not look much. But the TC90s that Japan transferred to the Philippine Navy on Monday, March 27, are symbols of a huge leap for Japan as it takes a bigger role in the security of the region.

It was the first implementation of Japan's gamechanging move to lift its weapons export ban, one of the self-imposed policies it adopted when it took a pacifist mindsent after World War II.

< Edited >

The Philippine Navy will lease the planes for a small sum of $28,000 a year. It would have been a donation, except Japan's Congress is still deliberating on a new law that will allow the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force to give used defense equipment as a grant to allies, similar to the Excess Defense Articles program of the United States.

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SMALL PLANES, HUGE LEAP. The transfer of TC90 patrol planes from the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force to the Philippine Navy is a huge leap for Japan. PH Navy photo

[adroth]

TC-90s to give PN ISR capability a big boost

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn&nid=1&rid=976748

MANILA, April 1 (PNA) --- With two Beechcraft King Air TC-90s in the fleet and another three more expected to be in commission within the year, the Philippine Navy's (PN) capability to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions in the country's vast maritime territories was greatly boosted.

This was confirmed by Navy spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna in an interview Saturday.

"The transfer of two (Japanese) TC-90s to (the PN) will boost the capabilities of the PN in conducting ISR in maritime areas of interest," he added.

The first two TC-90s were delivered to the PN during short ceremonies in Sangley Point, Cavite last March 27.

This is aside from its secondary function of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, utility, and transport missions, the Navy spokesperson further stressed.

"The TC-90 will (also) serve as a transition platform for our capability upgrade and in the future to operate the latest in military technology and equipment," Lincuna disclosed.

The TC-90s have a range of over 1,000 nautical miles, and a cruising speed of 260 knots and capable of carrying eight passengers along with the pilots.

Three more TC-90s are expected to be delivered to the PN within the end of the year. (PNA)
 PRIAM F. NEPOMUCENO

[adroth]

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana, Japanese State Minister of Defense Kenji Wakamiya, and other defense officials of their respective countries gathered for the transfer ceremony of two units of Beechcraft TC90 aircraft from the Japan Ministry of Defense on March 27, 2017, at the headquarters of the Naval Air Group in Sangley Point, Cavite City. Three more TC90s are expected to arrive by the end of March 2018.

[40niner]

Finally, Japan's enabling law had converted the lease for the five aircraft into donation.

NikkieAsianReview : Japan to donate 5 navy training aircraft to Philippines

TOKYO -- Japan will give five military training aircraft to the Philippines at the end of March 2018 to help bolster the Southeast Asian country's ability to protect its coast, Japan's Ministry of Defense said Wednesday.

The deal follows a change in Japanese law during the last ordinary session of parliament that paved the way for donating secondhand defense equipment to developing countries. In addition to two TC-90 planes currently on lease to the Philippines, three more that were scheduled to be leased from next March will also be handed over for free.

The Philippines approached Japan with a request to switch from a leasing arrangement to one where it would acquire the naval planes free of charge, according to Japan's Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency. Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera and Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana agreed to the deal during talks on Monday at the Clark Freeport Zone, an economic zone northwest of Manila.
...

[Ayoshi]

Japan to bolster Philippine maritime security with TC-90 aircraft | Defense news

This will include the eventual transfer of two TC-90s currently leased to the Philippines, along with another three aircraft drawn from the inventory of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. The TC-90 is the JMSDF’s designation for the Beechcraft Model 90 King Air twin-engine turboprop aircraft, which is used by the service to train its pilots on multi-engine aircraft operations.

< snipped >

A program to train Philippine Air Force crews on the TC-90, which has been ongoing since late 2016 at the JMSDF’s 202nd Naval Air Training Squadron at Tokushima air base, will also conclude at the same time.

ATLA says the transfer has been made possible by the recent revision to Article 116-3 of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces Law, which had previously prohibited the Japanese government from disposal of defense assets without charge.

[adroth]

Navy commissions patrol plane from Japan
Published November 21, 2017 1:11pm
Updated November 21, 2017 5:00pm
By AMITA LEGASPI, GMA News

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/633933/navy-commissions-patrol-plane-from-japan/story/

The Philippine Navy on Tuesday commissioned one of the TC-90 patrol planes from Japan during an activation and blessing ceremony in Sangley Point, Cavite City.

Captain Lued Lincuna, Navy spokesperson, said the Beechcraft King Air TC 90 can be deployed anywhere in the country.

“It will be used for HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster response) and to transport personnel during calamities,” he said over the phone.

He added that the aircraft also has intelligence reconnaissance surveillance.

Captain Juario Marayag, Naval Air Group commander, said the aircraft will boost their air operations and maritime air surveillance capabilities.

< Edited >