Unofficial AFP newsclips * July 22, 2006, PS - SOUTHCOM to be split into Southwestern and Southeastern Commands to maximize the government offensive against communist guerillas in Mindanao. Southcom which consist of three Army divisions, two joint task forces, two naval forces, a tactical operations wing of the PAF, two elite Special Forces battalions and one Light reaction company, which will all be redeployed, depending on the tactical conditions in the area of operations. * July 18, 2006, PS - RP-US Military execerise 'Kapit-Bisig' to be conducted this year under the newly formed Security Engagement Board (SEB). It aims to strengthen the capacity to respond in areas of counter-terrorism, disaster preparedness, control of pandemic diseases and transnational crimes. This exercise was meant to complement the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), that mainly deals with external aggressors. This exercise is the counterpart of the annual 'Balikatan' exercise under the MDT. The main point of the exercise will focus on the socio-economic and humanitarian aspects. Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz said the AFP's J-5 is still discussing the complete details with their cunterpart from the US Pacific Command (PACOM). * July 17, 2006, PS - DND, AFP to get $4-M in US grants to improve intelligence. The US is assisting the AFP in their 10-year intelligence reform effort by extending some $4-M to be used in improving intelligence analysis and services particularly that of the ISAFP through the DND which is finalizing the draft and is under the Philippine Defense Reform Program. Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz said that the grant will be used to upgrade processing and analysis of intelligence reports as well as the purchase of new equipment. * July 7, 2006, PS - PAF to receive 26 UH-1H, with six refurbished units arriving by this month, with the rest arriving by the end of the year, donated by the US under the EDA program promised by Pres. Bush in 2003. The PAF currently has 45 operational 'Hueys' used extensively as helicopter gunships, for transporting troops and field supplies, for medical evacuations and for disaster relief operations. * July 7, 2006, Daily Tribune - Philippine Marine Corps abolition has been brought up during a recent NSC technical group meeting, presided by National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, also planned for the integration of the AFP and the PNP into one Armed Forces. * July 5, 2006, PS - Delivery of a Fokker F-27-500 is scheduled for the end of July. * June 27-30 2006, GMA-7 - A short news clip of the towed Bofors 40 mm AAA, Marine Ready Force armor and the Marine sniper rifle were featured in GMA-7' primetime news program, 24. The automated gunfire control system codenamed Trident and Spearhead were also featured last Friday, June 30, with a short demonstration of both system's capabilities. * June 23, 2006, PS - PN develops an indigenous automated gunfire control system - Revealed during the PN's 108th anniversary, the project was conceptualized by the Naval Reserve Force Division (NRFD) and developed with help from Mapua Institute of Technology's (MIT) experts. The project, codenamed "Trident Strike" aims to develop an automated gunfire contol system for 12.7 mm machine-guns mounted on Navy gunboats, which will enable Naval gunners to fire their weapons remotely below decks. According to Navy spokeman Capt. Geronimo Malabanan, the system is almost complete, and is undergoing minor refinements and adjustments and the estimated date of completion by end of the year. Aside from the GFCS, the Navy, through its Research and Development branch is developing Project: Spearhead, a remote-controlled, mobile 7.62 mm machine-gun, for land-based combat, with a prototype undergoing field tests. Both systems were undertaken through the Self-Reliant Posture program and under the overall concept of DND's Capability Upgrade Program. * June 17, 2006, PS - Pres. Arroyo pledges additional P1-B on top of the annual P5-B the AFP receives for its modernization program. It will be used to fund the logistics, mobilization and actual military combat operations against the rebel NPA.. * June 2006, PS - Pres. Arroyo mulls on converting the presidential yacht, AT-25 Ang Pangulo, into a hospital ship like the visiting USN hospital ship USNS Mercy. * April 28, 2006 - U.S Refurbishes C-130 Aircraft for Philippine Air Force. more... * March 15, 2006 - Amendments to AFP modernization law discussed anew. more... * March 01, 2006 - Philippine, U.S. sailors combine efforts, raise sunken patrol boat more... * February 28, 2006 - Pres. Arroyo assured the military that the government would fast-track the Defense reform program, which includes buying more communications and transportation equipment to improve the capability and strength of the AFP. more... * February 7, 2006, MB - PN expects to receive 2 PKM from South Korea * January 25, 2006 - PN is set to receive two high-speed vessels from the government of South Korea. more... * September 2005 - F-5As decommissioned, with the last 10 units being mothballed because of rising maintenance cost. * May 12, 2004, PS - PAF received 2 UH-1H, 1 SF.260, 1 N-22 from the US and 4 OV-10C from Thailand. PAF expects some 20 UH-1H by June and 5 more by yearend. The PAF also expects 8 aircrafts undergoing recovery to be commissioned back in service by yearend. * February 5, 2004 - Turn-over of 1 $55-M AIFV- ARV variant, from Turkey in Camp Aguinaldo * February 2004 - received 1 $25.69-M Cyclone class Patrol ship christened PS 38 BRP Mariano Alvarez, after undergoing refitting and sea trials in December 2003 by a PN crew off the coast of Louisiana * January 9, 2004, PS - AFP allocated budget for the uprating of the Peacock-class OPVs and about a dozen surface attack "transitional" jets being bidded by US, France, UK and Israel. Expect to receive 2 PKM boats from South Korea, about 50 UH-1H equipped with night-vision capabilities. * January 8, 2004, PS - PAF about to receive about 40 UH-1H (10 donated by US from EDA and 30 bought under AFP Modernization program) and 4 OV-10 planes. The PAF also hopes to recover 22 aircraft earlier deemed beyond repair. * September 9, 2003, PS - received 4 $327,000 OV-10C donated by Thailand * July 6, 2003, PS - PAF CG Lt. Gen. Nestor Santillan said that the PAF has only about 60+ operational aircrafts, but he vowed that the number will be doubled within two years as priority is given to the aircraft acquisition program. He also stated that about nine aircrafts were "recovered" and another 4 more are at 90% recovery stage. These includes 3 UH-1H, 2 MG-520, 1 SF.260TP, S-76 for SAR and LC-210 for weather tracking and rainmaking. These restoration programs are out of the modernization and foreign-assistance funded programs. New Zealand has also committed to train PAF pilots in maritime patrol. The Malaysian AF has lent propellers for use of the refurbished C-130 pending the arrival of planes ordered from Malaysia. Other projects includes: C-130 program depot maintenance completion from Malaysia; TC-690 Aero Commander restored in Taiwan; Nomad N-22 undergoing restoration in Mactan, Cebu; UH-1H in Clark expected to be operational this month; SF.260TP reconfiguration; 2 S.211 jets undergoing structural inspection; 3 UH-1H being fully restored; 1 t-41D and 1 SF.260 trainers will be restored by November; and 1 F-27 and 1 S-70 will be restored by 1st Qtr 2004. * June 25, 2003, PS - AFP to receive 6 UH-1H by July 5 next month, part of the 20 serviceable + 10 spares committed in 2001 * June 3, 2003, PS - Pres. Arroyo reports that 8 F-5 jets will be donated by Thailand in addition to the 2 F-5s earlier promised by South Korea. Also With the jets from Korea will be patrol boats obtained as a "debt of gratitude" by the Korea government. These war materiel from Korea are voluntary aids * February 8, 2002, PS - received 5 UH-1H donated by the US. * November 20, 2001, Reuters - Bush pledges economic, arms aid to Philippines. more * August 16, 2000, JDWN - The Philippine government has allocated P119.1 million ($2.65 million) to expand the army's Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Units, a territorial militia force whose strength was halved in recent years under a doctrinal shift since acknowledged to have been a mistake. * 1998 - received 6 Patrol-Killer(Medium) (PKM) Boats. * Nov 22, 1998 - LC 550 Bacolod City commissioned. * 22 April 1998, JDWN - The Philippine Air Force is scheduled to take delivery this month of two refurbished Lockheed Martin C-130s acquired from surplus US stocks. The service currently has 10 of the transport aircraft, only four of which are operational. * July 1, 1997 - Peacock-class OPVs expected to be delivered today, bought from the British Navy at P110-M each * May 21, 1997, PDI - PN deployed 15 patrol gunboats (2 108' with 30 mm guns; 2 84' FAC(G) with 40 mm and 20 mm twin guns; 7 78' fitted with 25 mm guns; and the rest are 68' transferred to the Coast Guard ) to beef up the country's four Naval commands. The ships are from South Korea and US and have speeds ranging from 25-35 knots. * August 21, 1996, JDWN - The Philippines Congress has approved a long-awaited armed forces modernisation programme. However, the overall budget has been set at P170-B ($6.4-B) over 15 years, less than half the proposed expenditure. * February 12, 1996, PDI - Navy gunboats captures Chinese pirates 7 kms off El Fraile and Capones islands aboard a rusty 100' ship * December 2, 1995, PDI - PAF bought 3 surplus F-5A from South Korea at $100 each. * 1995 - received 12 high speed surveillance Patrol Boats. * Sept 1995 - received 2 SPB w/ 25 mm gun. * September 27, 1995, Phil Journal - AG-89 BRP Kalinga was repowered and refitted at the cost of P33-M in Louisiana * June 19, 1995, PDI - PN acquires 2 new 24 m fast patrol crafts, part of 10 ships from the US FMS. Armed with 25 mm guns and HMGs * April 1995 - received 2 78' Halter Class PCF, christened as the following: PG 371 Enrique Jurado, PG 374 Simeon Castro, PG 377 Liberato Picar, PG 379 Rafael Pargas, PG 378 Hilario Ruiz, PG 380 Nestor Reynoso. The four others were received 2 years earlier. These boats are manufactured by Halter Marine USA and assembled in a Batangas SY. They have speeds of up to 28 knots and are equipped with 4 .50 caliber HMGs with shields. Also 6 V-300 APCs were turned over to the PMC as well as two amphibian trucks. * March 12, 1995, PDI - PAF received 5 $1.3-M MG-520, they are the last of the 33 choppers from the FMS * March 11, 1995, PDI - Pres. Ramos tours Turkish Aerospace Industries and is interested in how it modifies F-5As into F-5E. Other agreements witnessed by Pres. Ramos includes: First Philippine National Holdings and British Natural Gas $1.5-B joint venture; $160-M memorandum of agreement between Racal-Radio Ltd. and Veterans Electronic Communications Inc. for the manufacture and marketing of various types of tactical and combat radios for the AFP; GKN Defence and Asian Armored Vehicles Technologies Corp. agreement for technology transfer involving the steel armor weldings for Simba hulls. * March 9, 1995, PDI - Anoa-Singa 3/95 war exercise held in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija with Singaporean and Philippine, artillery, armor and air assets. * March 2, 1995, PDI - PA commissioned 7 new Simba ACVs during the 9th anniversary of the PALAB at Fort Bonifacio, Makati. The APCs acquired numbers to 19 units right now. * February 27, 1995, PDI - AFP receives 24 V-300 APCs as compensation for hosting the former US military bases. * June 20, 1994, PDI - received 4 FAC[G] from Korea, 1 1 LSV, 10 V-300 Commando from US. * Nov 1993 - 80' Patrol boat from Korea (40mm main gun, 38 knts). * 1991 - RP signs $54-M joint venture deal between GKN Sankey Ltd. and Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) for the acquisition of 150 units of the Simba APC each cost $360,000. Under this agreement, GKN will export bare Simba units which does not include armaments and tires while PITC will assemble the imported parts and add locally made components. The first batch is expected to be delivered by October and complete delivery by the end of this year. Meanwhile the AFP Logistics Command develop a local-version of the V-150 and is dubbed as the Hari-Digma, conceptualized by LogCom chief Manuel Mariano, but was temporarily shelved due to lack of funds for further research and development. The prototype has a US-made engine but most of its parts are locally manufactured. Each unit cost P3-M compared to the V-150s P9-M price tag. Also the PAF is expected to receive 5 OV-10 planes by September, they will be the first batch of 25 planes to be delivered until 1992 as part of the US FMS. They are set to replace the ageing AT-28 Trojans. * 1991 - Pres. Aquino leads the blessing rights of four 78' PCFs acquired from the US through FMS. The PCFs can operate both in the open ocean and inland waters with a cruising speed of over 25 knots and a range of 1,200 nm, with 8 crew members. Back to top Site related news * August 2006 - more updates and revisions. Edited some typos and unconfirmed infos. Added the PCG section including ship OrBat and the decommissioned stuffs specs, which are still under construction. No programs for most entries yet ^_^. Still looking for PNP infos. * July 2006 - more updates and revisions. Programs section for most entries still to be encoded ^_^. Added some more pics and revised PAF and PN histories. * June 2006 - lots of updates, uploaded photos and AFPWeapons.txt. Still need to add programs for the aircraft section, add other PAF aircraft info in the .txt version. Added the support ship, support aircraft and weapon systems section, all which are still under construction. Trivia and galleries are still down * May 2006 - site moved to geocities.com/kalasagnglahi, changed name from AFP Shrine to AFP Materiel Technical Data Site (AFPMTDS) to AFP Materiel Technical Specification Archives (AFPMTSA), some reorganization of information done, still under construction. * January 2006 - some updates, updated AFP_Weapons.doc * March 2004 - updated after a long time ^_^. * December 2001 - first upload to geocities.com/hitokiri_shinji * 1997 - site concept initiated Back to top Last modified on 7/30/06  |
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