THE brand-new Gulfstream G280 ordered by the military for its airborne command and control (C2) operations and for use by the government has been delivered and is awaiting its official turnover to the Philippine Air Force.
The high-speed business jet worth P1.9 billion flew in from the United States two days ago and landed at the Clark International Airport over the weekend, where it awaits a final inspection before it is officially accepted by the Air Force.
The jet, acquired by PAF under the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program, will serve as an airborne command and control post for both the military and the civilian government in times of crisis.
“[It] will primarily serve as a platform to carry our senior leaders and commanders in the event, for example, of a crisis situation,” Department of National Defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong had said in October last year after the contract for the acquisition of the jet was signed with Gulfstream Aerospace.
The G280, with an acquisition price of $36,999,916, including parts, tooling, and logistics support, was purchased by the Air Force under the foreign military sales program with the US government.
The jet can operate in short runways and can fly for eight continuous hours. It has a maximum range of 3,600 nautical miles at its long-range cruise speed of Mach 0.80
The Air Force earlier said that aside from C2, the G280 can be used for airborne early warning, medical evacuation, high-altitude atmospheric research and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
As a command and control aircraft, it is equipped with extensive communications and monitoring equipment.
The new aircraft is seen to replace the ageing F-28 Fellowship jet VIP aircraft that is being operated by the Air Force’s 250th Presidential Airlift Wing.