Pinangunahan ni Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. ang turn over ceremonies ng bagong Cessna 208B (C-208) Grand Caravan EX ISR aircraft sa Clark Air Base sa Mabalacat, Pampanga.
Kilala ang C-208 sa pagiging matibay. Ito ay kilala bilang “multi-role” aircraft na magagamit sa iba’t ibang misyon na kakayahang lumipad ng 912 nautical miles sa loob ng limang oras at 30 minuto.
Ang naturang aircraft, na maaari umanong magamit sa spy mission, ay kargado ng advanced ISR capability at air-to-ground information streaming. Ito ay gagamiting ng 300th Air Intelligence and Security Wing (AISW) na pinamumunuan ni Brig. Gen. Edgar Torres.
“The said aircraft will be utilized in support of internal security operations, territorial defense, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) specifically in the conduct of rapid damage assessment and needs analysis (RDANA) during times of calamities and disasters,” pahayag ni PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo.
“The C-208B will also be significant in counterterrorism and law enforcement efforts,” dagdag niya.
Ang bagong ISR aircraft ang bahagi ng military grant ng US para sa modernization ng PAF.