he Philippine Air Force (PAF) is scheduled to receive the first of two long-range patrol aircraft (LRPA) next year from Israel’s Elbit Systems Ltd., expanding its capabilities to patrol the archipelago.
Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said that the initial delivery of the aircraft is expected by mid-2025, based on the timeline of the signed contract.
The two LRPAs will be based on the new ATR 72-600 and the suite includes a mission management system, electro-optics, radar, SIGINT (signals intelligence) and communication, among others, Elbit Systems said at the time.
The contract will be carried out over a period of five years.
The PAF’s acquisition of LRPAs was among the top priorities in the early stages of the military’s modernization program dating back to 2013, but it faced delays in the bidding processes.
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