Philippines to receive third Cessna C208B Grand Caravan ISR aircraft from US

 

One of the PAF's Cessna C208B ISR aircraft.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) confirmed that it is scheduled to receive a Cessna C208B Grand Caravan surveillance aircraft, as part of US Military Assistance to the Philippines.

The announcement was made during a presentation of the PAF’s C-130 Hercules transport aircraft fleet to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last 31 March 2023, as the PAF also displayed the surveillance capabilities of its aerial assets.

The upcoming Cessna C208B Grand Caravan intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft is the third to be received by the Philippine Air Force as part of an earlier commitment by the United States government to assist in strengthening the surveillance capabilities of its ally.

The aircraft is said to arrive in the Philippines by July 2023.

An earlier delivery of two aircraft was made back in 2017 and are flown by the PAF’s 300th Air Intelligence and Security Wing, and has been used in maritime patrol, battlefield surveillance, and peacetime operations including search and rescue.

The Philippines have been trying to improve its surveillance capabilities especially in its maritime borders and exclusive economic zone (EEZ), with the Cessna C208B ISR being used extensively in the absence of proper maritime patrol aircraft.

The presentation of the C-130 Hercules fleet also included the re-introduction of the Special Airborne Mission Installation and Response (SABIR) system that was installed on one of the C-130T Hercules aircraft, which will allow it to conduct surveillance and long range maritime patrol missions while also used as a transport aircraft.

The Philippines Department of National Defense is also said to be in the process of awarding a contract for the procurement of two Long Range Patrol Aircraft, purposely built for such missions.




[1] MaxDefense Philippines
[2] RTVM