The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has formally accepted the Gulfstream G280 command and control (C2) aircraft during a ceremony held at the Clark Air Base in Pampanga.
Following the delivery, the aircraft embarked on its inaugural flight to carry medical supplies to Davao City, according to the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
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It transported Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año, National Policy against Covid-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr, and other IATF members.
The aircraft will be assigned to the Air Mobility Command of the Philippine Air Force, which is in charge of transport missions in Mactan in Cebu.
PAF spokesperson lieutenant colonel Aristides Galang was quoted by PNA as saying: “It will join our other transport aircraft like the (Airbus) C-295, (PT Dirgantara Indonesia) NC-212i and (Lockheed) C-130.”
Galang had previously stated that it would form a part of the system designed for better operational control via continuous communications.
The aircraft can travel at speeds of 500k with a range of 3,600nm. Additionally, it can land on small runways and transport around 12 to 15 persons. It was procured via a US foreign military sale.
In May, the Government of the Philippines requested to buy AH-64E Apache and AH-1Z attack helicopters from the US.
In November last year, the PAF formally accepted a new C-295M medium transport aircraft during a turnover ceremony at the Haribon Hangar.
