The first of three C-295 transports ordered from Airbus Military for the Philippine Air Force is scheduled for delivery later this month.

"It will serve as additional transport support for the Armed Forces' requirements (and complement) the three existing C-130s" now in use, the Philippine Star newspaper quoted Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Enrico Canaya. "They will be especially helpful in HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster response) operations."

The $191 million contract for the C-295s was awarded to Airbus Military early last year.

The C-295 is a twin-turboprop with a payload of more than 20,000 pounds and a full-payload range of 805 miles. It is operated by more than a dozen countries.

The Philippines, embroiled in a territorial dispute with China and ongoing conflicts with indigenous communist and Muslim insurrectionists, is in a process of updating its air, land, and sea military capabilities.

Close air support aircraft, combat utility and attack helicopters and other aircraft from a variety of manufacturers are scheduled for delivery to the Philippines this year.

In other developments, the Philippine military is opening a bidding process in April for the building locally of three multi-purpose assault craft for the Philippine Navy.

"It will be armed with stabilized weapon system with fire control, complemented with a short to medium range missile system," Navy Vice-commander Rear Adm. Caesar C. Taccad said.

The winning bidder must be able to deliver boats within one-year. Procurement of the missile launch systems will be set in a separate acquisition project.

The Philippine Navy currently operates six such vessels, three built in Taiwan and three built locally.

Caption: A C-295 of the Polish Air Force. Photo by Przemyslaw "Blueshade" Idzkiewicz.