U.S. to Transfer Surveillance Aircraft to the Philippine Coast Guard
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The U.S. will transfer three King Air turboprop planes equipped for maritime domain awareness operations to the Philippine Coast Guard, the Pentagon announced Monday. Technology Service Corp. was awarded $39 million for the procurement and integration of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance kits onto King Air 350 Extended Range aircraft, reads the contract announcement. Two of the three aircraft will receive the ISR hardware and software modifications. Work also includes training on the surveillance suites and operation of the planes. While the contract did not detail the specifics of the provided ISR kits, Technology Service Corp. advertises its
Technology Service Corp. was awarded $39 million on Sept. 28, 2026, for the procurement and integration of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance kits onto King Air 350 Extended Range aircraft. Technology Service Corp. image MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The U.S. will transfer three King Air turboprop planes equipped for maritime domain awareness operations to the Philippine Coast Guard, the Pentagon announced Monday.
Technology Service Corp. was awarded $39 million for the procurement and integration of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance kits onto King Air 350 Extended Range aircraft, reads the contract announcement. Two of the three aircraft will receive the ISR hardware and software modifications. Work also includes training on the surveillance suites and operation of the planes.
While the contract did not detail the specifics of the provided ISR kits, Technology Service Corp. advertises its Sea Dragon maritime domain awareness kit for integration aboard the King Air aircraft. The Virginia-based firm describes the product as a low-cost ISR system that can “enable local law enforcement to better protect national exclusive economic zones.”
This aircraft transfer was previously finalized in February following a meeting between Defense Department Undersecretary John Noh and Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gavan. Additional transfers to the Philippine maritime security agency announced this year include five ex-U.S. Coast Guard cutters, including one 210-foot Reliance-class.
The move is Washington’s latest effort to bolster Manila’s intelligence collection capabilities amid increasing tensions with Beijing over disputed maritime features in the South China Sea. Philippine forces have previously received U.S. transfers of unmanned surface vessels and patrol boats that have been used to monitor and track Chinese forces.
Alongside these maritime transfers, the Pentagon has handed over several modified Cessna aircraft with ISR kits to the Philippine Air Force. These turboprops were originally transferred in the 2010s for counterinsurgency operations. The Armed Forces of the Philippines have since shifted the aircraft to maritime patrol missions across the South China Sea in recent years to monitor Chinese forces.
Washington’s investments into developing Philippine ISR capabilities have been a key priority between the two nations. Until recently, the Philippine military has been almost entirely focused on internal security operations. The ongoing dispute in the South China Sea with Beijing – as well as concerns of a potential Taiwan contingency spilling over to the Luzon Strait – drives the Philippines’ push for modern defensive capabilities.
Aside from monitoring Chinese naval forces, Coast Guard and maritime militia operations off Palawan and Luzon, the American-supplied turboprops have been keeping the People’s Liberation Army Air Force busy over Scarborough Shoal. Media from the Chinese military’s Southern Theater Command frequently highlight the interception and tracking of Philippine military, Coast Guard and government turboprops flying over the disputed maritime feature.
On Wednesday, Chinese J-16 and JL-10 fighters supported by a KJ-500 airborne early warning and command aircraft tracked and monitored a Philippine turboprop aircraft over Scarborough Shoal. Chinese Type 054A frigates forward-deployed to the disputed area also practice air defense drills during Beijing’s combat patrols at the shoal.
