Japan turned over to the Philippine Navy on Monday two military aircraft that will help improve its surveillance of the country’s maritime borders.
Japanese Defense Minister Kenji Wakamiya formally turned over the Beechcraft TC-90 training aircraft to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and other Philippine officials at the Naval Air Group headquarters in Sangley Point, Cavite City.
The two aircraft landed at Sangley Point at around 10 a.m.
Navy spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna said the TC-90s were leased from the Japanese Ministry of Defense as part of the Navy’s efforts to improve its humanitarian relief, disaster response and surveillance capabilities.
The TC-90’s patrol range is said to be 1,900 kilometers or double that of small Philippine Navy aircraft.
Lincuna said that the Navy leased from Japan five TC-90s. —PHILIP C. TUBEZA