By Francis T. Wakefield
The Armed Forces of the Philippines is looking to procure two squadrons of multi-role fighters and a frigate as part of the second horizon of the Revised AFP Modernization Program, a military source said yesterday.
The revelation came after President Duterte approved the P289-billion Horizon 2 of the AFP Modernization Program last month. Horizon 2 is the transition to external defense from internal security operations of the Armed Forces.
According to the source, the AFP is looking to procure at least 12 MRF to beef up the air assets of the Philippine Air Force.
“Tig-anim bawat squadron. Tapos tig-anim bawat group,
Tapos isang squadron, dose, so pwede na tayong kumuha ng isang squadron,” the source said.
The source added the list has been approved but there is still no date when the MRF could be purchased.
“Approved na ni Presidente ‘yung list tapos dahil na-approve ‘yung list, pwede nang maghanda para makuha natin,” the source said.
“Wala pa, wala pang aircraft. Walang specific platform. Inapprove yung program, yung pamimili ng platform dadaan yan sa proseso,” he said.
The source reiterated that how fast they can get or buy the planes will depend on how quick their people will work. “And we are working on it quickly,” he said.
A squadron in an air force is composed of 12 to 24 aircraft with their aircrews, sometimes divided into three or four flights.
