SIX fixed wing aircraft worth P4.96 billion are set to be procured by the Philippine Air Force through a public bidding to be conducted by the Bids and Awards Committee of the Department of National Defense, according to the government’s Philgeps website.
The procurement was confirmed by Raymundo Elefante, Undersecretary for Finance, Munitions, Installations and Materiel.
The DND-BAC has scheduled the pre-bid conference for interested bidders on Jan 11 at the DND building at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
Dubbed “Close Air Support Aircraft,” the project is part of the PAF’s “big-ticket items” worth P43.27 worth of modern assets to be procured under the overall 2013-2017 Modernization Projects of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Asked what type of aircraft would be bought, Elefante could not give specific description except to say these would be used for internal operation.
“These are close air support aircraft for our troops engaged with the enemy on the ground,” he said.
He confirmed though that these would replace the vintage OV10 aircraft that provide air surveillance and bombing sorties against enemy locations engaged by ground troops.