Bell Helicopter [TXT] April 2 said it signed a purchase agreement with the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) for eight Bell 412EP helicopters that will be delivered to the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) fully configured and equipped with advanced features to meet the DND’s modernization requirements.
“We are honored that the Philippine Department of National Defense has selected Bell Helicopter to fulfill their mission requirements,” said C.M. Hwang, managing director, Bell Helicopter’s Asia Pacific region. “We are also grateful for the long-term trust that the Philippine Government and DND have placed in Bell Helicopter to upgrade and improve mission capabilities.”
Five of the Bell 412s will be configured for combat utility operations including relief efforts while the remaining aircraft will be configured for VIP transportation.
“We chose the Bell 412EP because of its versatility and performance in extreme environments,” said Undersecretary Fernando Manalo from the Philippine Department of National Defense. “We are looking forward to the delivery of the first three aircraft in time for the Philippines to host the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in 2015.”
The Philippine air force has operated derivations of the Bell UH-1H since the late 1960s. Additionally, they have been operating two Bell 412s they received in 1994.
The contract was negotiated under the umbrella of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the CCC and the Philippine DND for the purchase of defense and military related materials and services.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the MoU in November 2012.
“The CCC is pleased to be once again partnering with Bell Helicopter, a Canadian manufacturer of world-class aircraft and the choice of many nations’ air services the world over,” Marc Whittingham, president and CEO of the CCC, said. “This latest contract with the Philippine Government highlights the long history of collaboration between the CCC and Bell Helicopter to provide cost-effective government-to-government contracting solutions for highly advanced aerospace products.”
The Bell 412EP is a cornerstone of mission critical helicopter operations throughout the world, able to reliably perform in some of the most extreme climates on the planet. The Bell 412EP offers dual digital automatic flight control system with available IFR option and excellent Category A/JAR OPS 3 capability. The helicopter has a cruise speed of 140 knots (161 mph), range of 358 nautical miles (412 miles) and a cabin able to accommodate 14 passengers and one crew member.