AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. (PNA photo by Priam Nepomuceno)
MANILA – Larger and slower aircraft such as the NC-212i medium transport are more ideal for maritime air patrols, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said on Monday.
"If you use the FA-50, mabilis siya so hindi mo ma-observe yung sa baba so we use aircraft that are slower, na hindi na kailangang masyadong mabilis (If we will use the FA-50, it is much faster and it will not be able to observe objects below, so we use aircraft that are slower. We do not need aircraft that are very fast)," Brawner told reporters, when asked if it is feasible to use the FA-50PHs for maritime patrol missions.
The FA-50PHs are capable of a speed of up to Mach 1.5 or one and a half times the speed of sound while the NC-212i are capable of a speed of 230 miles per hour.
The AFP chief, however, said the type of aircraft to use in particular missions is dependent on the ground commander.
He added that they are still waiting for the report of the NC-212i crew on what it sighted before being harassed by Chinese military aircraft during the Aug. 8 incident at the Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal).
To date, Brawner said they have only received the report on the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force's dangerous maneuvers and dropping of flares during the Philippine Air Force's maritime air patrol. (PNA)
