US donates P807 million gear to Air Force

MANILA, Philippines — The United States has donated a surveillance and reconnaissance system worth P807 million to help enhance the Philippine Air Force (PAF)’s capabilities.

The US embassy in Manila said Ambassador Sung Kim turned over on Tuesday the Special Airborne Mission Installation and Response (SABIR) system to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana at the Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.

The SABIR system, the US embassy said, will improve the Philippine military’s domain awareness, airborne command and control, counterterrorism and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) capabilities.

“The transfer of the SABIR system, along with the Scan Eagle system this past March and the C-208 aircraft in August 2017, represents our steadfast commitment to enhancing the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Kim said at the turnover ceremony. The donation was made possible through the Maritime Security Initiative (MSI) funding, aimed at building the maritime capacity of Southeast Asian allies. 

The SABIR system is a bolt-on avionics module for the C-130 Hercules aircraft. The system upgrades the aircraft with advanced command and control, communications, computer and surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities without sacrificing the aircraft’s primary function as a cargo plane.

Initially, the PAF’s 300 Air Intelligence and Security Wing (300 AISW) based at the Benito Ebuen Air Base, Mactan will operate the system. 

The 300 AISW provides the PAF with near-real time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities through both manned and unmanned aircraft, including the SABIR system, Scan Eagle Unmanned Aerial System and the C-208 aircraft, all donated by the US. 

Meanwhile, Kim yesterday paid a courtesy call on Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“I had a productive meeting with House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Thank you for your gracious hospitality and an invigorating discussion,” Kim said in his Twitter account.

Arroyo was the president when the Philippines withdrew its troops from Iraq in 2004 in exchange for the release of Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz, kidnapped and threatened with beheading by militants.

The Philippines’ move angered the US and increased pressure on other members of the multinational force facing similar dilemma.

“We are committed to making sure that the perpetrators of terrorists acts against our citizens and soldiers are brought to justice,” a US statement said. De la Cruz was eventually released.

The US accused the Philippines of “giving in to terrorist demands” and threatened to “review” the arrangements between the two countries.

The Philippines later imposed a ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to Iraq after the release of De la Cruz.