The new flying asset of the Philippines flies over
Philippine skies.
The so-called Golden Age of Philippine-Japan relations
was the way for the Philippines to be
the recipient of five (5) Beechcraft TC-90 King Air training airplanes from the
Japanese government.The TC-90 was offered by Japan the Agreement Concerning the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology was finalized last Feb. 29, 2016.
A very much welcome for the Philippine Air Force who is on
its way of modernizing its flying assets, the Beechcraft TC-90 was principally
geared for the conduct surveillance, monitoring, and search-and-rescue missions
over the country’s maritime domain. *
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| Philippine Navy's TC-90 surveillance aircraft which conducted its first maritime patrol over Scarborough Shoal in Zambales (photo credit to UpdatePH website) |
And the milestone has just been reached when for the first
time the Japanses-donated Beechcraft TC-90, under the operational control of
the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM), conducted its first maritime patrol air patrol mission over the
Bajo De Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), Zambales and other areas under NOLCOM
supervision.
"Given the
task, the (T)C-90 plane, with a tail number of 390, made its maiden flight at
9:45 a.m. of January 31, 2018, in the area of Bajo De Masinloc (Scarborough
Shoal), Masinloc, Zambales. It has flown around the shoal for about 800 feet
above sea level sighting four Filipino fishing boats, together with nine
Chinese vessels comprising of four Chinese Coast Guard vessels, four unknown
Chinese vessels and a Chinese fishing vessel. Moreover, the Filipino pilots
heard no challenge from the Chinese Cost Guard," NOLCOM spokesperson Lt.
Col. Isagani Nato said.
It was a
milestone in a sense since the former platform was the Britten Norman
Islanders, the TC-90 are much faster , and has roughly twice the flight range
than the former. The entry of the new surveillance planes was the first ever
for a Beechcrft TC-90 in Philippine service. It really has boosted the
capability of the Navy to conduct limited airlift, reconnaissance and
surveillance within NOLCOM’s area of jurisdiction.
NOLCOM spokesperson
Lt. Col. Isagani Nato said, NOLCOM would utilize all available assets and
resources to protect our national territory, including its northern maritime
areas, and assert our sovereign rights over the country's maritime domain. *
"NOLCOM will
continue to do its mandate that will be non-provocative strictly adhering to
the International Law and in line with the directives and policies of the
national government," he added.
Report from PNA
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