Kinumpirma ng Department of National Defense (DND) ang pagbili sa bagong eroplano na gagamitin ng pangulo at ng iba pang senior government officials.
Ang bagong Gulfstream G280 aircraft na nagkakahalaga ng US$39.9 million o halos P2 bilyon ay nakatakda nang i-deliver sa bansa sa kalagitnaan ng 2020.
Binili ang bagong presidential jet sa pamamagitan ng Foreign Military Sales Program ng US government.
Ang pagbili sa bagong eroplano ay sa kabila ng pahayag ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na hindi na bibili pa ang Pilipinas ng military equipment mula sa Estados Unidos.
Idinepensa naman ni DND Spokesman Arsenio Andolong Jr. ang pagbili sa G280 na anya’y magagamit ng pangulo at iba pang lider sa mga panahong may krisis.
“The G280 will primarily serve as platform to carry our senior leaders and commanders in the event of, example, a crisis situation. It can be used by the Chief of Staff, SND [Secretary of National Defense], our major service commanders and the President. Although you want to use the term lightly or loosely, it is similar to an airborne command post. It would serve that purpose,” ani Andolong.
Paliwanag ni Andolong, walang masyadong magarbo sa pagbili ng naturang aircraft.
May bilis at kakayahan umano ito makalapag sa maikling runways, bagay na hindi kayang gawin ng kasalukuyang C295 ng Air Force.
“Admittedly it’s a little more well-appointed than your average aircraft but it will carry senior leaders so of course it’s designed to be a little more comfortable. But like what I said a while ago its premium is its speed, capability to land on short runways, which cannot be done by our other aircraft at the moment,” dagdag ni Andolong.
Sa mga larawan ng Gulfstream sa kanilang website makikita ang mas komportable at mas malawak na interior ng G280.