Boeing offers to PH : Get Apache, stop being ‘pushed around’ in WPS

Boeing is making its market strategies work for them by making the Philippine government take a second look on what they can offer.

A leadership that is more than willing to support the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) backed up by a growing economy and with the looming  crisis in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

David Brostrom, marketing and sales director for vertical lift of Boeing Indo-Pacific, said that it was offering to the Philippine military two of its most reliable and high-tech helicopters—the Apache AH-64E and Chinook CH-47F.

Boeing's Apache AH-64E being offered to the Philippines
(photo credit to owner)

The two famous choppers are known for their capability and interoperability advantages.

“The biggest advantage — who would not want this?” said Brostrom.

“Its interoperability with all your partners, not just with the United States, look at all the people flying it in Asia. Why wouldn’t you want to have this capability to help your own people?” he said.

Apache AH-64E of Boeing is world famous for being known as the most advanced, multi-mission attack helicopter of the US military and at least 15 other armed forces in the world.

It also has a maximum cruise speed of over 284 kilometers per hour and can be armed with 16 Hellfire missiles, 30 mm auto cannon and 2.75 inch rockets.

Boeng’s marketing and sales director said the Apache attack helicopter would be ideal for maritime operations in the West Philippine Sea, where the Philippines is disputing territory with China, a military power in Asia.

“It’s time for the Philippines to have something like this especially with what’s going on in the region — your internal threats down south and your external threats in the West Philippine Sea,” said Brostrom.

He said if China “knew the Philippines had Apache, they’d be less likely to push you around.”

“It’s a deterrent. If you start buying this high-end stuff your enemies are gonna be thinking twice of doing something,” said Brostrom.

The average flyaway cost for one Apache unit is pegged at $32 million

As for the time and tested heavy-lift helicopter, the Chinook CG-47F. Its capabilities are hard to match, Brostrom said.

“There may be cheaper ones, there’s a lot cheaper planes out there but they’re not the best,” he said.

The Chinook is the workhorse aircraft of the US and other military forces around the world. It costs around $50 million per.

For a country always being visited by typhoons, Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations capability is a must in any armed forces, the capability of the Chinook to land on mountainous terrain are a perfect fit for the Philippines

“You don’t have to worry about the runway,” he said of Chinook landing needs.

“The PAF doesn’t have a capability like this, you still have to clear the runway. You can get into an area and there’s no need to worry about clearing the runway, just land,” he said.

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Report from PDI