The United States has delivered two more Bell 412EPX utility helicopters to the Philippine Air Force at Villamor Air Base in Pasay. They form the second batch of an eight-aircraft Additional Utility Helicopter Project. The first two aircraft arrived in May, raising the Philippine Air Force’s Bell 412 fleet to 18 helicopters. The latest aircraft will serve with the 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing, supporting air mobility, troop transport and humanitarian assistance in remote areas. Remaining deliveries are scheduled through 2027. Developed with Subaru, the Bell 412EPX is 17 metres long with a 14-metre rotor diameter and can carry up to 15 occupants. Its specialized hook can lift as much as 5,000 pounds of payload. With a maximum weight of 13,000 pounds and 331 gallons of fuel, the helicopter uses two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-9 Twin-Pac engines rated at 1,122 horsepower each. It can reach 140 knots, operate up to 20,000 feet and has a 361-nautical-mile operational radius.
