The Philippines placed an order for T129 ATAK attack helicopters from Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) back in 2018. The country intends to make an additional purchase after five years.
Here’s What We Know: Under the 2018 agreement, six attack helicopters were to be delivered in three batches of two each. Two T129 ATAK helicopters arrived in the Philippines last March, and TAI dispatched two more aircraft by late autumn.
The remaining two helicopters are expected to be delivered in 2024. The total value of the deal amounts to $280 million. The exact quantity of T292 ATAKs that the Philippines plans to acquire through the additional order is currently unspecified.
The T129 ATAK is an attack helicopter equipped with three 20mm cannons located in the nose. It is capable of carrying various munitions such as unguided Roketsan CİRİT, AIM-92 Stinger, Mistral, AIM-9 Sidewinder, AGM-114 Hellfire, BGM-71 TOW, Hydra 70, Spike-ER, UMTAS, and OMTAS.
With a maximum take-off weight of 5 tonnes, the T129 ATAK is powered by twin LHTEC CTS800-4A engines with a power output of 1,014 kW. The helicopter achieves a maximum speed of 278 km/h, a cruising speed of 269 km/h, a range of 561 km, and a maximum range of 1000 km. It can ascend at a speed of 14m/s and has a service ceiling of 6.1km.