DND to prove new choppers can fly

The Department of National Defense (DND) will stage a public demonstration of its recently purchased UH-1D and UH-1H helicopters to debunk claims the choppers bought by the Philippine Air Force are defective.

“This will debunk once and for all talk that the helicopters are defective and not flying, and that these are not mission-capable,” said DND public affairs service chief Arsenio Andolong.

The seven UH-1D and two UH-1H choppers were part of the P1.2-billion helicopter deal with a United States-based company that the DND had asked to partially terminate after the company failed to deliver the units on time.

Only seven of the 21 UH-1D units had been delivered and accepted by the Air Force.

Andolong said the demonstration would allow the Air Force to clarify allegations the choppers were not combat mission-capable.

“The seven Hueys we accepted are operational,” he said.

Earlier, the DND asked the US-based Rice Aircraft Services and Eagle Copters to partially terminate the P1.2-billion deal for failure to deliver the units on time.

Before the partial termination, a newspaper report said the choppers were “defective.”–Julie M. Aurelio