Philippines receives two T129 ATAK helicopters from Turkey
The T129 Atak is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine helicopter designed for attack and reconnaissance missions. (Photo: Philippine Air Force)
The T129 ATAK fleet deal between the Philippines and Turkey were part of the Horizon 2 phase of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Modernisation Program.
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has received two T129 ATAK helicopters from Turkey at the 15th Strike Wing headquarters in Sangley Point, Cavite.
The two aircraft will be used alongside the PAF’s armed light observation and transport helicopters, enhancing the combat operational capability of the force and addressing capability gaps in urban warfare.
The units were the fifth and sixth attack helicopters acquired in a US$280 million deal between Turkey and the Philippines. Its sister aircraft were the first helicopters Ankara delivered to a foreign country.
The T129 ATAK fleet deal was part of the Horizon 2 phase of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Modernization Program, a 300 billion Philippine peso ($5.2 billion) acquisition project to update the country’s military posture.
The T129 Atak is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine helicopter designed for attack and reconnaissance missions. The T129, developed from the Leonardo A129CBT, incorporates new engines, avionics, electro-optics, weapons, a modified airframe, an uprated drivetrain and a new tail rotor.
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