Air Force needs suppliers of 2 helicopter types

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is looking for a country that could supply it with attack as well as combat utility helicopters that meet its requirements.

Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Galileo Kintanar said on Wednesday that among the countries that could supply the helicopters were Italy, South Korea and Russia.

“We are identifying the sources. We are going to talk to them one by one so that the Philippines and the PAF will get what is best,” he said during a forum in Pasay City.

“The contract should be finished this year. The delivery should, hopefully, start next year at the earliest,” he added.

The combat utility helicopters are intended as replacements for the 16 Bell 412 aircraft that were ordered by the Department of National Defense (DND) in a P12-billion deal with Canadian Commercial Corp.

The DND, however, canceled the contract in February after the Canadian government sought a review of the agreement.

Kintanar said the PAF planned to acquire 10 to 20 attack helicop-ters. —JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE