PH inks P12-B contract for 16 Bell choppers

The Philippine government has signed a P12 billion contract for the purchase of 16 new Bell412 EPI helicopters for the Philippine Air Force.

“The 16 Bell 412EPI helicopters, fully configured and equipped with advanced features, are being acquired as part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization plans, and were purchased by the DND [Department of National Defense] through a government-to-government contract with the Canadian Commercial Cooperation (CCC),” Bell Helicopter said in a statement Tuesday.

The initial delivery of the choppers will start early 2019 and is expected to be completed by 2020.

“Bell’s helicopters have been a key component for the Philippine Air Force in the past and we look forward to bringing these aircraft into service quickly to serve the citizens of the Philippines,” the helicopter company said.

Some of the Bell helicopters in the Air Force inventory are assigned with Presidential Airlift Wing. Eight Bell 412EP were delivered to the Philippines in 2015.

“The Bell 412EPI improves the Bell412 platform with Bell BasiX Pro fully integrated glass flight deck, providing critical flight information at-a-glance for greater situational awareness and safety,” Bell Helicopter said.

Bell Helicopter is a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., a producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical-lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft.