Philippine Air Force Acceptance Ceremony of the Last Airbus C-295

MANILA:  President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the acceptance and turnover of the last of three C-295 medium lift transporters acquired by the Philippines saying that the aircraft will boost the country’s defence capabilities.

This unit is one of the three C-295 Medium Lift Aircraft of which two units were delivered last year. They are expected to augment the four units previously acquired by the Philippine Air Force (PAF) in 2015 and 2019. The PAF now has seven units in its inventory.

In his speech during the turnover ceremony at the Clark Air Base in Pampanga March 7, Marcos congratulated the PAF for its successful acquisition of the newly delivered C-295 Medium Lift Aircraft.

Marcos said the additional C-295 aircraft will allow the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to provide “more responsive support” to government agencies especially in emergency situations and on humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations.

He also welcomed the demonstration of the flight capability of the FA-50PH fighter jet, saying that these jets will improve the Philippine maritime patrol capability, aid air force in monitoring the development within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone and provide close air support to combat troops. Marcos flew onboard PAF’s FA-50PH fighter jet to witness its capability in a flight demonstration, an activity conducted upon the invitation of PAF for the Commander-in-Chief to personally test the aircraft. – pna/mhi/mgm (Pix: Airbus/PAF)