Guest Writer/Special Contributions

• "Indefinite Internal Security Operations" by
  Jose Antonio Custodio

• Photos from the International Maritime Defense Exhibition held in Singapore from May 16 to 20, 2005.

• Marsh Aviation OV-10 Upgrade

• Coming soon...Clark Museum

• Philippine Coast Guard Swift Boats

Procurement News

• PKM delivery bid

• Fixed Communications Project

• Re-bidding for Phase II Jacinto Class Upgrade

• Bidding request for "Combat Rigs"
  Load Bearing Harnesses.

Links to Points of Interest & Updated Pages

• Old Huey Bravo site link (COMCAST.NET)

• PAF C-130 page updated 9/04/06

• PAF Huey page updated 9/04/06

• Bonifacio Incident photos 9/3/06

• PN Andrada Class gunboat page 8/23/06

• Marine Artillery page updated 6/10/06

• Jacinto Class page updated 6/10/06

• new photos courtesy of Jack Hannen and Rain of PFSG

• Marine Armor Page updated 6/11/06

• Marine Wheels updated 1/16/06

• Marine Artillery Page - Mortars updated 1/16/2006

• PN Page updated

• Main Marine Page updated

• Twin 50 cal mounts

• New Gun Truck Pictures.

• Locally developed OV-10 gun 20mm gun pod.

• Marsh Aviation OV-10D & PAF OV-10 close-up

• Updated OV-10s Pages and New OV-10 Photos,

• The PAF, Marsh Aviation and the OV-10 SLEP

• International Maritime Defense Exhibition

• Gun truck ambush

• PMC RPG Cage prototype Pictures

• PMC main page

• Gun Truck Pictures

• Philippine Navy Night Fighting Weapon

• Patrol Killer Mediums - Korean Gunboats in the PN

• F-8 Crusaders for Sale

• F-5, F-5 Bandit Listing

• BRP Mariano Alvarez, ex US PC-1 Cyclone walk-around

• Floating Dry-docks

• BRP Rajah Humabon, PF-11

• Andrada Class gunboats, 78 footers

• Sia-Marchetti S-211

• AUH-76A

• McDonnell Douglas MG520 Gunships

• Air Force Bases and Operating Locations

• Spratley Islands Primer

• Marine Arty, Recoilless Rifles

• SF260

• Army Armor

• Army Arty

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Special Guest Writers Section

A Call for Contributors.

The HueyBravo.net is actively seeking contributors to the site.  You can submit any article concerning Philippine or Asian military affairs and we will post it in our special guest writer section.  All we ask is that you keep the article to one or two pages and that the subject matter not be inflammatory or racist.  Other than those limitations, anything goes.
 

Air Force News

• ((04 February 2005). It seems that flight training is happening again with the leased ex Zambia SF260s being used as primary trainers to replace the TPs transferred to the 15th Strike Wing. The PAF is in the market for a second hand F-27 Mk600. Two additional overhauled C-130s are coming on line soon to bring the total operational to 6.

• (23 January 2005).The delivery of the newly rebuilt UH-1H helicopters from Singapore is nearly complete. All 20 will probably be in delivered by the beginning of the 2005. On another note, 4 OV-10s are suddenly available from Thailand. It seems like Indonesia was supposed to get 5 from Thailand but the US State Department objected. One of those five OV-10s has now been allocated to a Thai Museum but the rest are up for grabs. The remaining four are still in flying condition. The engines have regularly been run up and the aircraft have been regularly flown to keep them in good condition prior to transfer. No official offer has been made to the PAF yet though. Should someone call the PAFCG? Isn't this what Military Attaches are supposed to be doing?

• (10 December 2004). The PAF is discussing lease terms with Aerotech Industries Philippines for three SF260MZs that Aerotech bought from Zambia and completely rebuilt. Aerotech Industries Philippines also conducts rebuilds and overhauls of PAF S211s at its facility in Clark Air Base. The PAF has been a long time operator of various models of the SF260 for quite a number of years now with the latest model TPs serving as COIN aircraft with the 15th Strike Wing.

• (10 October 2004). PAF tacticians are feeling some validation of the tactics they use against Philippine insurgent groups when looking at US helicopter tactics in Iraq, especially those used by the US Marines. Like the Marines and unlike the US Army, PAF helicopter "gunships" don't use hovering when conducting air strikes. Instead, they try to go as fast as they can and come from as high as they can when conducting their strikes. No hovering among trees and presenting a juicy target to anyone with a pistol. The US Army on the other hand tried out its hovering tactics in Karbala (23 and 24 March 2003) during the official ground war and basically got their behinds (in Apaches no less) handed back to them by the Iraqis.

• More Air Force News.

 

 

 

 

   

News & Updates

• (2/14/2007)

• (/9/3/06) More photos of in-use equipment.  Most notable is the new HueyII mentioned in an earlier update - See 8/08/06 update below.  The latest HueyII was produced in house without the assistance of the factory and shows the increased sophistication of the PAF support organization when proper funding and guidance is allocated. 
  
  Also noteworthy is the recently overhauled L100-20 in use by the 220th Airlift wing.  See photo of L100-20 S#4593 here.  It marks the return of C130 maintenance in-country. 
  
  Note that this also marks another milestone of sorts - the PAF has not had this many flying C130s since 1992 (when there were 6 flying)

• (9/3/06) Bonifacio Incident photos courtesy of Bimbo Andrade and Eric Alvia.  CSSB and the Marine Ready Force stands firm.

• (8/23/06) New photos of the Jose Andrada and the Juan Magluyan - Modern fast gunboats of the Philippine Navy. See Andrada Page photo section for more details.

• (8/08/06) The PAF has quietly brought into service it's second Huey upgraded to the HueyII standard.  See Huey page for details.

• (08/08/06)  Hercules availability is improving.  Another L100-20 is being operated by the 220th Airlift Wing off of Mactan.  See C130 page for details

• (6/10/06) The Marines have recently taken delivery of the first unit of 20mm Oerlikon Mk IV guns to help equip a Marine Air Defense Artillery unit.  On another note, the Marines are overhauling another LVT for reintroduction into service.

• (6/10/06) Photos of all operational C130s courtesy of Jack Hannen and Rain from PFSG with thanks.

• Two UAVs have been registered to the National Security Advisor, Office of the President.  The registrations are RP-C369 and RP-C370.  Both are Predator A's.

• (28 Feb 2006).  Warning, this is an editorial. 
  Hat's off to the men and women in the AFP who refused to take part in the past week's events.  Rule of law, chain of command held and ultimately the constitution held.  Maybe there is hope for us yet.
  
  Just so we are clear.  I don't really like the current president BUT I would like to see her voted out in a fair election, not kicked out in a coup.  I would also like to see the Philippines and Filipinos in general get into the mindset that politics is about making intelligent choices and living with those choices until the next election.  Then vote them out if they are bums!

• (26 Feb 2006) It appears that the Marine Ready Force of the CSS Brigade has already has figured prominently in events in the Philippines.  When a renegade Marine Colonel, (Col. Ariel Querubin) showed up at Marine HQ with about 100 of his men (traveling all the way from Marawi City where his brigade is based), they were immediately surrounded by Manila based Marines who in turn refused to take part in whatever Col. Ariel Querubin had planned.  Instead, the Marine Ready Force re-affirmed their oath to defend the Philippine constitution and surrounded the compound where Col. Querubin had holed up.  They also geared up to repel the SAF and SR units that might decide to join Col Querubin. Seeing that the core of the Metro Manila based Marines composed of the Marine Ready Force refused to join, the Scout Rangers and elements of the Special Action Force stood down and did not leave their base.  Col. Querubin would later surrender to his superiors.

• (25 Feb 2006) Coups and rumors of coups.  The President declares a state of emergency and relieved the commander of the Scout Ranger Regiment.  The Marine Commandant in turn asked to be relieved of his duties not because he agreed to take part in the coup but because he admitted to knowing about it before hand and he tendered his resignation to shield the Marine Corps from any potential fallout.  This in turn was used by other elements, notably Marine Col. Ariel Querubin, to use the situation to his advantage.  On the pretense of protesting the resignation of the Marine Commandant, Col. Querubin traveled to Manila to incite the Manila based brigade to participate in the coup.  The CSS Brigade refused and remained loyal to the Philippine constitution.
  
  At the same time this is going on, hundreds of people remain displaced while hundreds of people died in the landslide in Leyte island.  It is a very jarring image to see elements of the AFP participating in an attempt to overthrow the government while other Filipinos suffer.  It seems that the US cares more about the Philippines than do some of the members of the Philippine political elite and AFP.  Will this never end?  Are we hopeless as a country?   

• (11 Feb 2006)  The Marines continue their improvement program for the equipment that they own.  The latest example to benefit are the V-150s of the CSSB assigned to the Marine Ready Force.  Cupolas from V100 APCs retired have been grafted onto the rear position of MRF V150s.  Details here.

• (11 Feb 2006) With the money freed up by the retirement of the F-5s, the PAF is channeling the extra funds to the acquisition of heavier gunships.  The leading contender is the AH-1F Cobra equipped with T-53-703 engines (same as the Huey II) .  The PAF wants to acquire an initial batch of 6. 
  
  In a related development, the PAF has finally gotten around to testing FLIR pods on it's MG520s.  The PAF has had two FLIR units for quite some time.  One was tested initially on a UH-1 but vibration was deemed to excessive and the program was shelved.  It is unknown whether the pods tested on the UH-1 are the same as those tested on the MG520s however.

• (24 Jan 2006)  OV-10 crashed in a fishpond in Bulacan while taking part in exercises with US Forces.  The aircraft is thought to be one of the modernized OV-10s.  However, the modernization program with  Marsh Aviation is continuing with additional kits being ordered to equip remaining units.  The PAF also has enough stored OV-10 airframes to make up for this latest loss though more funds would be required to bring the stored unit back to flying status.

• Reinforcement of the frontal armor as well as other modifications to make the LVTH6s more survivable is continuing.  Picture here.
  
  A program to replace the M151 jeeps are also underway.  Information and pictures here.

• (December 24) Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to our readers and our supporters!  Best of luck to everyone in 2006.  Fair winds and following seas.
  
  Here's a new picture to celebrate of the two LVTH6A1 side by side....thanks again to John.

• (December 16). More photos of the .50 cal AA guns, a V150 in Berlin Brigade colors, and the newly refurbished LVTH6A1 during its most recent inspection.
  On another note, the marines have already completed 10 guntrucks this year. 

• (December 15).  To improve it's conventional warfare capabilities, the Marines are forming an air defense battalion equipped with 40mm guns and twin .50 cal guns.  Read more about it here.  Many thanks to John for the latest updates.

• (December 12).  New WMV files courtesy of the Philippine Marines.  Also fixed the links on the main Marine page.  40mm in action on the Marine Artillery page and the LVTH6 functional test on the Marine Armor Page.

• (December 7). The Marines are bringing back a couple of LVT6 tasked as Urban Fire Support Vehicles.  With refurbished 105mm guns, the type is well armed for the task.  Protection is being improved with the addition of add on frontal armor in front.  See Marine Armor Page for pictures.

• (October 10).  Current Projects in the Pipeline.
  Highlights of the program include acquisition of a second hand Fokker F-27 to meet a PAF medium lift transport requirement; the Jacinto re-engining program, the PKM program, new Minimis, the PAs new nightfighting weapons, modernization of the Philippine Arsenal etc.  Read more about it here.

• (October 01)  The PAF finally bit the bullet and officially retired the F-5.  The official line is that the Air Defense duties will be taken up by armed versions of the S211s.  Funds freed up from the retirement of the F-5 will be used for other purposes.  Some sources suggest acquiring more Hueys.  Other likely possibilities are the funds will be used to fully fund further upgrades to the OV-10, fund its replacement or fund more Huey II upgrade kits.

• (August 2) New Gun Truck Pictures.  First Marine Brigade gun truck completed.  Another one on the way.

• (June 19) Marsh Aviation OV-10D with all the available updates.  PAF OV-10 prop modification close-up. 

• It's Memorial Day weekend in the US.  Lets take time out to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country.  For the fallen

• (May 26) Marsh Aviation OV-10 Program and PAF OV-10s page and photos of immaculate PAF and Marsh OV-10s.  Thank you to Marsh Aviation and the Philippine Air Force for the information and pictures.

• (May 24). PAF T41D(E) tail number 923 crashed in Baguio City killing two passengers and two crew.  It's PAF serial number is 623 and the construction number is 82-0670.  It was one of five delivered to the PAF in the mid-80s.  Our condolences to the families.  May they rest in peace.

• (May 23).  The PN has officially expressed interest in the Sea Wolf Class Missile boats of the Singaporean Navy.  The intention to acquire the boats was expressed to the Singaporeans at the International Maritime Defense Exhibition in Singapore.  The PN hopes to obtain them without armament (without the missiles probably) and use the boats as Coastal Patrol and Interdiction Craft.  (Wonder if the A-4Ss are far behind? ed)

• (May 22) Clarification on the previous entry - the re-bidding is for Phase II of the Jacinto Upgrade.  Phase I was for the armament and sensor upgrade.  Phase II is the engine upgrade and that is what they are re-bidding and that is what is being delayed.  The armament upgrade is nearly two thirds complete - meaning one ship has already gone through the upgrade, one is on the docks and almost done while the last ship is entering the process.. 

• (May 21) The Philippine Government has put the Jacinto class upgrade for re-bidding.  And you wonder why the modernization cannot seem to get off the ground?  Emilio Jacinto should have finished with Phase I by now and the second ship should have entered it in February 2005.  The third ship should also be in dry-dock by now (March 2005).  Does this mean that the current upgrade project is on hold and we have two ships in dry dock waiting until the project is re-bid?  Dios mio! 

• (May 21) We start our Guest Writer section today.  Special thanks to Jose for his article.  We also received a contribution of pictures taken from the International Maritime Defense Exhibition in Singapore.  Interesting pictures.  Most notable of which are the equipment used by the Singaporean Navy. 

• Congratulations to the Philippine Navy on their anniversary.  Fair winds and following seas to all...

• Some good news for a change.  The first two of 28 OV-10s that have undergone the PAFs Service Life Extension Program were officially turned over to the PAF.  The program was conducted by the PAF together with Marsh Aviation of Mesa, Arizona.  It involves the replacement of the OV-10s original three blade propellers with a newly designed 100 inch propeller manufactured by Hartzell Propeller Inc. of Ohio.  It is hoped that all OV-10s are to go through the upgrade program including the OV-10s received from Thailand. 

• Dead in the crash are: former PHILVOCS director, ex-DOST USec & now Phil. Nat'l Red Cross Dir. Raymundo Punongbayan, 4 PHILVOCS geologist, a PNRC staff member & 3 PAF crew members (a Capt.,1st Lt., & Sgt.). The helicopter last took off from Fort Magsaysay in Laur, Nueva Ecija at around 0840H after a 30 minute re-fueling stop coming from VAB, Pasay & headed for Dingalan, Aurora. All remains were burned beyond recognition. Three other bodies are still to be retrieved as of 0700H 042905.
  
  The UH-1H that crashed at around 0930H yesterday had tail number 324 and was part of a batch of refurbished helicopters delivered in 2002 as part of a US military aid program. Considering it is relatively "new" (2000+ flying hrs.), PAF & ATO investigators are looking at environmental factors as the cause of the crash. However, witnesses on the ground saw the low flying Huey bank to the left loosing altitude fast then after its nose tipping up before its tail hit trees & rammed into a mountain. An aircrew was seen to have stood up prior to the crash as if to survey the area for suitable clearing for an emergency landing.
  
  All 37 operational UH-1H (of a total 50+) will be grounded & undergo inspection as routinely observed & practiced after a crash of this nature.

• A PAF Huey crashed just 2.5 hours ago (1000H Manila time) in the mountains of Brgy. Ligaya, Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija. There were 5 passengers on board & 2 have been extracted from the wreckage & confirmed dead. The fate of the other passengers and the unit assignment of the helicopter are unknown. More later

• The Strategy Page has reported that the PN has installed and regularly deploys the Spike-ER anti-tank missile on board its fast patrol boats (the 78 footers at the very least I presume).  Can anybody care to confirm?

• The Philippine Air Force has officially stood down the 5th Fighter Wing and it's resident squadrons.  It's colors and standards have been transferred the 5th Fighter Group which was stood up at the same time.  The new group comes under the umbrella of the Air Defense Wing. Interestingly enough, the remaining flying units comprising the S211s assigned to the 7TFS are being re-assigned to the 15th Strike Wing. This effectively means that the new group is a paper organization with no flying units.  Neither does it look like there will be any aircraft anytime soon.  This may not turn out to be a bad thing though.  The funds saved from this reorganization is being diverted to fund maintenance and operations.

• S-76s are coming out of overhaul with the latest  being #206 and has been assigned to the Malampaya Natural Gas Defense region.  The area is slowly turning into one of the most heavily defended regions in the country.  The region will eventually include three radar stations.

• To those of you who are curious, the Mustang pilot on the masthead is my Dad.  It was taken in 1954 at Basa Air Base.  He was assigned to the 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron where this picture was taken.

• More Misc. News...

Philippine Navy News

• (07 February 2005). New chopper for the Navy? The navy is looking to acquire a medium lift helicopter. First choice is the Bell 412 which the PAF already operates. In addition, funding is being sought to bring back most of the Bo-105 Helos in storage including the Roman Nose ones which are equipped with radar. Do you know that the PN has two floating dry-docks? - arguably the two most important assets in the PN. Photos of the two dry-docks in operations. Thanks to Shonen-Red for the pictures.

• (19 December 2004). Marine Gun truck production and development. Manufacturing and assembly are taking place each local Marine brigade HQs and have not conformed to the original design. Unlike the original Marine gun trucks, the sheet armor is welded and/or bolted into place. Originally, the add on armor was removable and could be transferred from truck to truck as the battalion was redeployed. This was an important feature since the trucks are brigade assets and normally assigned to each deployed battalion as the situation allowed.

• (9 December 2004). The Philippine Navy took delivery of the first batch of ten highly modified 5.56mm M16s. The weapons incorporate an integrated sound suppressor fitted over a 1" diameter bull barrel with a 1-9" twist. The modifications were done in the Philippines and is a sign of the increasing sophistication of Philippine Marine Armorers who also designed the Philippine Marines Scout Sniper Weapon.

• More Navy News...