PNP AIR ASSET. One of three brand new H125 Airbus single engine turbine helicopters received by the Philippine National Philippine Friday (Jan. 29, 2021) at the Manila Domestic Airport in Pasay City. The PNP fleet now has seven Airbus H125, two R-22 Robinson police helicopters and a fixed-wing trainer aircraft, all stationed in Metro Manila. (Photo courtesy of PNP)
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has acquired three additional multirole helicopters to boost its operational capability against insurgency and terrorism.
PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas announced that the Special Action Force-Air Unit (SAF-AU) has formally received the three brand new Airbus H125 single engine turbine helicopters from Airbus Helicopters Southeast Asia PTE LTD on Jan. 29, 2021 at the Manila Domestic Airport in Pasay City.
“These new air assets will further boost our operational capability in support of the anti-insurgency and anti-terrorism campaign,” Sinas said in a statement on Saturday.
He said the latest acquisition of police helicopters was done through funds from the General Appropriations Act 2019.
The new police helicopters with registry numbers RP-2420, RP-6088, and RP-9710 are now at the PNP-SAF Air Unit hangar at the Manila Domestic Airport, he added.
Sinas said the PNP fleet now has seven H-125 Airbus, two R-22 Robinson police helicopters and a fixed-wing trainer aircraft, all stationed in Metro Manila.
The PNP is eyeing the deployment of two helicopters each in Central Visayas and Southern Mindanao, and one in Northern Luzon, Sinas said.
The PNP has included an air-ambulance to its shopping list of programmed procurements. (PNA)
