2 PAF AW-109 attack choppers up for maintenance

Scheduled for maintenance are PAF AW-109 attack helicopters with tail numbers 815 and 823. (Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines/ Facebook)

MANILA— Two of the Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) brand-new AgustaWestland AW-109 attack helicopters, which were used extensively in the five-month battle to retake Marawi City from the clutches of the Maute terrorists, will be undergoing a periodic maintenance.

Budget for the acquisition of spares and services was placed at PHP23,398,000, the bid bulletin posted at the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System said.

Scheduled for maintenance are PAF AW-109 attack helicopters with tail numbers 815 and 823.

Submission and opening of bids is slated for Feb. 14, 9 a.m. at the PAF Procurement Center Conference Room, Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.

“All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference/s, Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of RA 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR),” PAF Bids and Awards Committee chair Brig. Gen. Erickson R. Gloria said.

The first two PAF attack AW-109s were commissioned last Aug. 17, 2015 while the remaining six were formally accepted for PAF service on Dec. 5 of that year.

The Philippines signed an eight-unit attack AW-109E order with AgustaWestland in 2013 for PHP3. 44 billion.