US turns over Cessna ISR planes to Philippines, UAVs to be given this year
The newly-donated Cessna 208B Caravan Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft may also be used in Marawi City and Benham Rise, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said late Thursday.
“They will be used anywhere in the Philippines because the range is far, including Marawi, including Sulu Sea, including West Philippine Sea, including Benham Rise,” n Lorenzana told reporters during the turnover ceremony of the aircraft in Pasay City.
The turnover ceremony of the two Cessna 208B Caravan Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft was attended by Lorenzana, US Ambassador Sung Kim, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and other military officials including Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Eduardo Ano.
Lorenzana confirmed it is the first of its kind of surveillance aircraft the Philippine Air Force will have in its inventory.
“Yeah, first of this kind of surveillance plane. This is the most modern that we have now …. This is so state of the art meaning all the equipment that will be put here we will be able to operate 24 hours a day,” he said.
Lorenzana said the United States are set to give unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) within the year.
“In fact the Americans are giving us Scan Eagles sometime this year. It will be received by the Air Force…. The Ravens will also be given to us, I think early this year. So they have given us a lot. they are all brand new as well,” he added in an ambush interview.
In his speech during the event, Lorenzana emphasized the importance of these aircraft on military operation.
“It can support air operations by aiding in the direction and control of close air support mission particularly on high mobile targets. Furthermore, it can also be utilized for identification of targets for air interdiction and battle damage assessment,” said Lorenzana.
“In support to ground and naval operations, the C-208b can act as forward observer for artillery and naval gun fire adjustments and tracking terrestrial and littoral movements of threat groups, especially in the southern tri-boundaries of Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines,” he noted.
“At the same time, it could monitor high value targets, locate enemy lairs, encampment and fortifications, and detect activities and movements on the ground. These aircraft are also intended to help address terrorism and support our intelligence surveillance, reconnaissance operations of the Philippine Air Force and the entire AFP in particular,” he added.
Lorenzana said such kind of aircraft may be useful to other government agencies.
“I can almost see that in the future, these aircraft will be working for the different departments of the government. It will be useful for the agriculture department, the fisheries department, the DENR, to survey the mining areas and the forests, for the bureau of fish and aquatic resources,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS
