Philippines ponders SAR helicopters, and Chinooks instead of Mi-171s
The Philippine Air Force assigned its W-3A Sokols to the 505th Search and Rescue Group when it discovered they were ill-suited to combat utility tasks. (Photo: Gordon Arthur)
In some areas, the rotary-winged fleet of the Philippine military has progressed, but in others, it has stagnated or even reversed.
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has reneged on a deal with Russia for new Mi-171 medium-lift helicopters, but it still has requirements for both heavy-lift and search-and-rescue helicopters.
The PAF’s 505th Search and Rescue Group currently operates six W-3A Sokols and a solitary S-70A-5 in the SAR role, but these numbers are insufficient to provide national coverage.
The retirement of the air force’s UH-1 fleet, which encompassed three Bell 205A-1s of the 505th Search and Rescue Group, means that aircraft need to be replaced. The helicopters are used for civilian search and rescue, but such a capability has long been
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