The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has officially retired its remaining North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco light attack aircraft and Bell AH-1S Cobra attack helicopters, marking the end of an era for these iconic aircraft. The decommissioning ceremony took place on December 28, 2024, at the Major Danilo Atienza Air Base in Sangley Point, Cavite City.
The ceremony, attended by high-ranking PAF officials including Air Combat Command Commander Major General Araus Robert F. Musico and Air Logistics Command Commander Major General Dennis G. Estrella, honored the decades of service provided by the OV-10 Bronco and the more recently acquired AH-1S Cobra.
According to the PAF’s 15th Strike Wing, the OV-10 Bronco, a twin-turboprop aircraft, had served the Air Force for nearly four decades since its introduction on November 12, 1991. It played a crucial role in close air support (CAS), counterinsurgency operations, and campaigns against insurgent groups such as the New People’s Army (NPA), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and Abu Sayyaf.
Notably, the OV-10 was instrumental in the 2017 Battle of Marawi, where it conducted 88 surface strikes in support of ground troops.
The AH-1S Cobra, the PAF’s first dedicated attack helicopter, arrived on November 26, 2019, as a donation from King Abdullah II of Jordan. Despite its relatively short service, the Cobra quickly proved its worth, participating in several significant operations, including “Oplan Polaris II” in Cagayan and “Oppord Kilo Uno” in Nueva Vizcaya.
The retirement of these aircraft comes as the PAF faces challenges in maintaining its aging fleet. A Facebook post from defense blogger MaxDefense Philippines highlighted that only two OV-10s remained operational out of the more than 30 acquired since the early 1990s.
Similarly, both AH-1S Cobras acquired from Jordan were retired. MaxDefense Philippines says its sources cited the increasing difficulty in sourcing spare parts as a primary reason for the decommissioning. The AH-1S Cobra shares many components with the UH-1H Huey, which the PAF retired several years ago due to similar maintenance issues.
For the OV-10, the PAF had reportedly resorted to cannibalizing non-operational aircraft to keep the remaining fleet flying.
“The service of the Bronco and Cobra is marked by countless missions and operations, this firmly stands as a testament to the dedication and bravery of the pilots and crew who flew and maintained them,” the 15th Strike Wing stated in its Facebook post.
The retirement of these aircraft opens the door for the modernization of the PAF’s air assets. According to sources within the PAF, as mentioned by MaxDefense Philippines, the 15th Strike Wing is advocating for the acquisition of six additional TAI T129B ATAK attack helicopters and between 12 to 18 A-29B Super Tucano light attack aircraft as part of the Re-Horizon 3 phase of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program (RAFPMP).
The retirement of these aircraft represents not only the end of service for two iconic platforms but also highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the PAF in maintaining aging military assets while pursuing modernization efforts.
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