16 December 2013 – A group of Philippine Navy Officials, led by Rear Admiral Jaime S. Bernardino, Vice Commander of the Philippine Navy, paid a courtesy call on Consul General Lourdes S. Tabamo of the Philippine Consulate General in Milan on December 03.

Radm. Bernardino and his team of five officers were in Milan from December 01 to 08 for pre-delivery inspection of helicopters as part of the Philippine Government’s procurement under the Naval Helicopters Acquisition Project (NHAP). The helicopters were manufactured and assembled in the production plants of Agusta Westland in Lonate, Pozzolo, Italy.

Agusta Westland (AW) is an Anglo-Italian helicopter company owned by Italy’s Finmeccanica, located 62 kilometers from Milan. Part of the agreement for the procurement purchase involves the training of Philippine Navy helicopter pilots.

Helicopters are expected to be delivered on mid-December and will be presented to President Benigno Aquino III during Armed Forces of the Philippines Day on December 21, 2013 at Camp Aguinaldo. END