PH Air Force commissions 2 new aircraft from IndonesiaBy: Frances Mangosing - Reporter / @FMangosingINQ INQUIRER.net
05:19 PM June 26, 2018
CLARK FREEPORT — The Philippine Air Force has commissioned two brand new NC212i light transport manufactured by Indonesia, four years after they had been ordered.
Elfien Goentoro president of the state-owned manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia formally handed over the aircraft to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in a ceremony held at Clark Air Base on Tuesday.
“These two aircraft, we’ve been waiting for this for quite sometime when I assumed as Secretary of National Defense. It was about to be delivered but because there were problems with the autopilot, it was delayed,” Lorenzana said in his speech.
But he said the president of the PT Dirgantara was “very much apologetic for the delay.”
The planes, signed through a deal in 2014, were acquired under the AFP modernization program for P850 million.
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He said the new platforms are equipped with glass cockpit, modern avionics and autopilot system and could carry almost twice the number of passenger and cargo load of the Nomad.
“It has a longer reach and lower operational cost. It can take off and land in short and unpaved runways which on some days C-295 and C-130 can’t be accommodated,” he added.
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