HAWAK na ngayon ng Philippine Air Force (PAF) ang dalawang units ng brand new T-129 ATAK helicopters mula Turkey.
Lumapag sa Clark Air Base sa Mabalacat City, Pampanga ang dalawang A400M transport plane ng Turkish Air Force pasado alas-12 ng hatinggabi kahapon lulan ang dalawang T-129 ATAK helicopters.
Nabatid na anim na units ng T-129 ATAK helicopters ang binili ng Pilipinas mula sa Turkish Aerospace Industries at bahagi ito ng implementasyon ng AFP Modernization Plan – Horizon 2 na may total contract price na PhP 13, 727, 248, 240.00kasama rito ang Logistics Support at Training ng mga piloto at crew sa Turkey.
Ang mga bagong helicopters ay gagamitin ng PAF – 15th Strike Wing at gagamitin sa Close Air Support sa ground troops, gayundin sa armed surveillance at reconnaissance.
Isinalarawan at T-129 na isang dedicated attack helicopter na halos katulad ng 2 AH-1S Cobra helicopters ng PAF na binili sa Jordan at mapapabilang ito sa surface strike systems ng air force na magsisilbing malaking tulong sa ibat-ibang misyon ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) particular sa counter terrorism operation .
‘The T-129 is a dedicated attack helicopter much like the AH-1S Cobra; this new system will complement the several surface strike systems of the Air Force and wi
ll be another game changer in support to the numerous missions of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” pahayag pa ni PAF spokesman Lt. Col. Maynard Mariano.
Nabatid na bago ang final acceptance ng nasabing chopper ay dadaan muna ito sa ridgid inspection, at test flights .
At oras na ma-commission ito ani Col Marinao , “it will help a lot in our surface strike capabilities, it will help in our campaign sir, ng AFP. So this is something that we’ve been waiting for. Remember we have the two AH-1s cobra and it will complement our AH-1s cobra…to support the AFP. (VICTOR BALDEMOR)
