QUEZON CITY, Philippines –
Twenty-three high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles, or Humvees, were delivered to the Philippine Armed Forces between Jan. 26 and Feb. 1 as part of a foreign military sales case facilitated by the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command.
A ceremony held at the General Headquarters and Headquarters Service Command, in Quezon City Jan. 29 celebrated the arrival of the M1152 HMMWVs, which included a blessing by the command's chaplain and the official turn-over of the fleet to the Philippine Army.
The vehicles will be used as ambulances as part of the Philippine's support system for soldiers injured in the field.
Each ambulance is equipped with an ambulance shelter and medical equipment that includes one oxygen tank, a first aid kit and two stretchers. The ambulances will be able to provide quick response medical support on site and during transport to the nearest treatment facility or hospital.
"This procurement of U.S. engineered and manufactured Humvee ambulances is a milestone toward enhancing the Philippine Army's frontline health services capabilities," a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Manila noted.
According to Kevin Campbell, a country program manager USASAC, seven additional vehicles will be delivered to the Philippine Army bringing the fleet's total to 30 ambulances in the FMS case, valued at $18.9 million.
Campbell also mentioned the case included spare parts and training, which is part of USASAC's "total package approach" to foreign military sales. The TPA can include anything from materiel, facilities, training, publications, technical documents and maintenance support.
This current FMS case for the Philippines began in January 2014 and is supported by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command and TACOM (an AMC Life Cycle Management Command), which are all members of the Army's security assistance enterprise.