On 5 May, the Defense Security and Cooperation Agency (DSCA) issued a notification that the US government had approved the potential Foreign Military Sale of Bell 505 helicopters to the Philippines.
The quantity listed was 22 Bell 505s, with a maximum sale price of US$150 million.
For this monetary figure, the package would include spare main and tail rotor blades, an integrated logistics support for a period of five years, and training for 22 pilots, 22 maintainers for its Safran engine, and six maintenance officers.
The potential sale would also include Veris flight simulators for the Bell 505 from TRU Simulation (a subsidiary of Bell Textron), as well as ground support equipment for two operating bases in the Philippines. The aim is for the Philippine military to operate 22 rotary-winged aircraft for up to 200 hours per year for a duration of five years.
The DSCA explained: “The proposed sale will improve the Philippines’ capability to meet current and future threats by addressing aircraft competency gaps in operating rotary-wing aircraft as part of an upgraded Bell 505 Jet Ranger X helicopter modern aircraft equipped with advanced systems and thereby enhancing comprehensive training.”
It continued, “This enhanced capability will facilitate the smooth transition for pilots to more complex rotary aircraft within the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and it is a cost-effective solution for developing rotary-wing pilots.”
Bell Textron was listed as the principal contractor in the DSCA notification.
It is unclear from the announcement which armed service would train on the 505 fleet, but it would definitely include the Philippine Air Force (PAF). The latter operates a sizeable fleet of S-70i Black Hawks, for example, and pilot training takes place at a CAE facility in nearby Brunei. The PAF does not currently possess a dedicated training helicopter.
The Philippine Navy also flies Leonardo AW159 and AW109 helicopters, and it currently uses several Robinson R44s for training. The Philippine Army has only a handful of helicopters.
Of interest, Bell was touting the military training credentials of the 505 at this year’s Singapore Airshow, with the Republic of Singapore Air Force currently seeking a new training platform too.
South Korea’s military operates a fleet of 40 505s, plus the Indonesian Navy trains helicopter pilots on the type too.
by Gordon Arthur
