Armed Forces chief, General Romeo Brawner Jr., on Tuesday, expressed delight over the new Cessna C-208B reconnaissance plane that the United States turned over to the Philippines.
Brawner said the Grand Caravan EX plane would boost the AFP's maritime patrol capabilities in the West Philippine Sea.
"Definitely, this aircraft will boost our capability to patrol our maritime seas. This aircraft will help us, will boost our capability in making sure that we secure our territory and our sovereign rights," Brawner said.
Brawner issued the statement after the ceremonial acceptance, turnover, and blessing of the plane at Clark Air Base in Mabalacat, Pampanga.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. was also on hand to accept the documents for the plane from Col. Edward Evans of the US Air Force.
The C-208B was acquired through a grant amounting to $17,586,702 for three units under the Foreign Military Sales Program of the United States.
The Philippines received the first two C-208B planes on 27 July 2017.
Teodoro said the new air asset will be used for all types of operations, including internal security, territorial defense, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response, specifically in conducting rapid damage assessment during calamities and disasters.
PAF chief Lt. Gen. Stephen Parreño said the brand-new aircraft will be immediately deployed to "wherever it is needed."
The C-208B EX is a single-engine turboprop ISR-modified aircraft that offers a reliable, adaptable, and cost-effective solution for ISR operations, with its ISR capability including line-of-sight live data and air-to-ground information streaming.
The plane is known for its rugged utility and flexibility. It can operate up to 912 nautical miles at a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet.
