UH-1H (EDA) Refurbishment / Upgrade Project of the Philippine Air Force

In 2003, the Philippine Air Force was trying to acquire additional Bell UH-1H Huey combat utility helicopters to have enough numbers to retain its air mobility capabilities to support combat and non-combat operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

This resource page tackles one of the solutions that were undertaken by the Philippine Air Force, which is to acquire UH-1H helicopters from the United States' Excess Defense Articles.

Two UH-1H Huey combat utility helicopters of the Philippine Air Force during exercises with the US. Photo credits to DVIDS.

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Project Summary:

UH-1H (Excess Defense Article) Refurbishment / Upgrade Project

Note: Edited as of 20 March 2024.

* End User: Philippine Air Force (205th Tactical Helicopter Wing)

* Quantity: 6 aircraft including Integrated Logistics Support

* Modernization Phase: Capability Upgrade Program of the AFP Modernization Program (RA 7898)

* Project ABC: Php405,000,000.00

* Acquisition Mode: Government-to-Government deal through US Excess Defense Articles (EDA) / Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Programs

* Source of Funding: GAA Funds through AFP Modernization Program Trust Fund

* Winning Proponent: DynCorp International through US Department of Defense

* Product for Delivery: Refurbished and upgraded UH-1H Huey combat utility helicopters taken from US Excess Defense Articles

* Contract Price: Php404,279,090.00

* Residual Price: Php720,910.00

* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PAFRefurbishedUH1HAcquisitionProject

* Status: The first 5 helicopters were delivered to the PAF on 15 August 2006, with the final helicopter delivered on 09 May 2007. DND declaring the project completed as of May 2007. PROJECT COMPLETED.

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Overview:

In 2003, the Philippine Air Force was in desperate need for more combat utility helicopters as its fleet was also getting smaller as many of its existing Bell UH-1H Huey helicopters were ageing fast and are being retired and cannibalized to keep other aircraft in service, or are simply in need of retirement.

As part of the US' military assistance to the Philippines, the US Department of Defense allocated for the transfer of 10 Bell UH-1H Huey combat utility helicopters from its Excess Defense Articles (EDA) stock, as long as the Philippines will shoulder the cost to rehabilitate, refurbish and upgrade them to acceptable levels, and to deliver them from the US to the Philippines.

The Philippine Air Force raised the requirement under its Acquisition of Refurbished UH-1H Helicopters (Excess Defense Articles) to deliver the 10 helicopters pledged by the US Government, with a budget of Php442,700,000 allocated for the project, and target delivery date of June 2006.

But due to further confirmation of the total cost, it appears that the PAF's allocated budget can only allow for the acquisition, refurbishment and upgrade of 6 helicopters instead of 10, resulting to a reduction of helicopters.

The project was later on separated into the UH-1H (EDA) Support Acquisition / Upgrade Project of the PAF which aims to provide for the procurement of the helicopters from the US EDA stocks, and the UH-1H (EDA) Refurbishment / Upgrade Project, with a budget of approximately Php9,000,000.00 and Php405,000,000.00, respectively.

The UH-1H (EDA) Refurbishment / Upgrade Project was procured through Government-to-Government deal with the US through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS), with the US Department of Defense awarding the project to American military contractor DynCorp International.

DynCorp technicians conducting maintenance work. Photo for reference only, credits to DynCorp International.

The Letter of Award was signed by the Department of National Defense on 14 December 2003, and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released the Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA) for the project on 06 February 2004. 

A Joint Visual Inspection was conducted by the PAF and DND in Texas between 25 March to 05 April 2004 to see the actual helicopters to be delivered, and to check DynCorp's capability to deliver the services.

The first 5 helicopters were delivered to the Philippine Air Force on 15 August 2006, with last helicopter arriving in the Philippines on 09 May 2007 which was delivered together with 10 other donated Bell UH-1H Huey combat utility helicopters as part of the pledge of then US President George W. Bush to the administration of then Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Four of the upgraded Bell UH-1H Huey helicopters upon arrival via commercial shipping. 

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With the six UH-1H Huey combat utility helicopters completing its refurbishment and upgrade works, delivered and re-inducted with the Philippine Air Force as of May 2007, MaxDefense and Philippine Defense Resource officially consider the UH-1H (Excess Defense Article) Refurbishment / Upgrade Project of the Philippine Air Force as COMPLETED.

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First edit and release: 20 March 2024
Copyright MaxDefense Philippines / Philippine Defense Resource