Duncan Looi
THE Philippine Air Force (PAF) has formally decommissioned its fleet of iconic Bell UH-1H Iroquois helicopters, also commonly known worlwide as the “Huey”. A decommissioning ceremony was held at the Brigadier General Benito N Ebuen Air Base in Cebu.
Attended by the PAF Commanding General Lieutenant General Arthur M Cordura and senior PAF leadership, the ceremony marked the retirement of the aircraft type from PAF service, bringing to a close a 57-year legacy which began after the first four UH-1H helicopters arrived at Villamor Air Base on March 29, 1969.
The PAF leadership honoured the contributions of the UH-1H fleet throughout its nearly six decades of service which involved supporting various military operations and humanitarian efforts across the country, reflecting the dedication and professionalism of generations of pilots, aircrew, and maintenance personnel who operated and sustained them.
A PAF statement read, “As the PAF continues its modernisation and capability development efforts, the decommissioning marks the end of an important chapter in its history. The UH-1H’s legacy of service and the dedication of the personnel behind it will remain part of the institution’s enduring heritage.”
At the same time, the UH-1H’s legacy lives on in the PAF as the service moves towards completing its fleet of brand-new Bell 412EPX helicopters which evolved from the Huey family. To date, the PAF has accepted four units of the 412EPX under the PAF’s Additional Utility Helicopter Project which involves the procurement of eight 412EPX helicopters from Bell Textron Inc.
With the addition of these new aircraft, the PAF now operates a total fleet of 18 Bell 412 helicopters, further strengthening its capability to conduct rapid deployment and sustain critical operations nationwide. Earlier in May, the US Department of State approved the possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of Bell 505 Jet Ranger X helicopters and related equipment to the Philippines for an estimated cost of US$150 million, though the number of aircraft is unspecified.-–shp/adj/dl (Pix:PAF)
