Philippines scheduled to receive additional transport aircraft, patrol boats from US EDA
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| The Philippines will be receiving three C-130H Hercules from the US. Photo c/o Tang Oscar / netAirspace. |
The United States Government through the White House has announced on 01 May 2023 that it intends to transfer three transport aircraft and four patrol boats to the Armed Forces of the Philippines as part of their efforts to assist in enhancing the defense capabilities of its Asian ally.
This announcement comes as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is scheduled to meet US President Joe Biden in Washington DC on 02 May 2023, which discussed a wide range of topics including defense and security, and strengthening the US-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty.
Among those specifically mentioned were three C-130H Hercules transport aircraft, two Island-class patrol boats and 2 Protector-class patrol boats, which will still require US Congressional notification procedures.
All these assets would be transferred from US Excess Defense Articles (EDA). The US Coast Guard is already in the process of replacing the Island-class and Protector-class patrol boats and has already transferred or allocated some of the decommissioned boats to other countries like Ukraine, Greece, Pakistan, Georgia, Costa Rica, and Uruguay.
The US also have a vast inventory of retired C-130H Hercules, with the Philippines in the process of receiving one aircraft procured a few years ago, separate from this new commitment by the US.
The statement from the US Government also confirmed that two Cyclone-class patrol vessels transferred to the Philippine Navy on 28 March 2023 are already enroute to the Philippines and are expected to arrive on May 2023. These patrol vessels were also transferred by the US Government as part of efforts to improve the Philippines’ security capability.
[1] The White House
[2] CNN
Reviewed by Asia Pacific Defense Journal
on
May 02, 2023
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