While its own navy waits, Canada sells military helicopters to the Philippines

There's a certain amount of irony in word that Canada is selling new military helicopters to the Philippines when it's in its third decade of trying to procure replacements for the navy's ancient Sea Kings.

Postmedia News reports the sprawling Pacific island nation will spend more than $100 million to buy eight Bell 412 helicopters from Canadian Commercial Corporation, a federal Crown corporation that helps industry with government-to-government business.

The purchase, along with the purchase of 12 Korean-built jet fighter-trainers for $420 million, is part of a program to bolster the Philippine military against growing Chinese pressure in the South China Sea.

"This is significant because we need to give our armed forces the minimum capability to perform its mission and responsibility," Philippine Defence Undersecretary Fernado Manalo told reporters in Manila after completing negotiations, according to the country's GMA News site.

[ Related: Canada says back on track to buy Sikorsky helicopters ]

China and the Philippines are at odds over claims to parts of the South China Sea that contains a few small, rocky islands but which are potentially rich in energy and minerals.

GMA News said China claims 90 per cent of the South China Sea, which also provides 10 per cent of the world's annual fish catch and carries US$5 trillion in ship-borne trade each year. Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia also have territorial claims to the waters.

The Korean FA-50 dual-purpose fighter-trainers would replace U.S.-supplied '60s-era F-5 fighters that were mothballed a decade ago, depriving the Philippines of fighter capability. The country is also buying two naval frigates, two strategic sealift vessels and three anti-submarine helicopters.

The Bell helicopter deal, finalized last week, has not been officially announced in Canada. There's nothing on Canadian Commercial's web site and Postmedia News said Bell Helicopters of Montreal, which will build the aircraft, did not respond to a request for comment.

“This has been made public in the Philippines,” NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar said. “If it’s good for the economy or jobs then great, let’s see the deal. There’s no reason not to have full disclosure on this.”

[ Related: What is wrong with Canada’s military procurement process? ]

The Bell 412 is a development of the 212 Twin Huey, itself an evolution of the famous Bell Huey used during the Vietnam War. Canada uses a version named the Griffon. Three of the eight combat utility helicopters will be configured to fly government VIPs, Manalo said.

The Philippine Star reported Manolo saying at least three of the aircraft would be delivered by September, when the Philippines hosts the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit.

Meanwhile, the Royal Canadian Navy is still waiting for new helicopters to replace its Sea Kings.

The government began shopping for a replacement for the Sea King, first acquired in 1963, way back in the early 1980s.

Brian Mulroney's Conservative government settled on the British-Italian EH-101 but the incoming Liberals under Jean Chretien considered it too pricy and cancelled the $5-billion deal after taking power in 1993. Ottawa paid $470 million in penalties for bailing out, according to CBC News.

The Liberals finally signed a $5-billion deal in 2004 to buy 28 Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclones. But that program has been hobbled by delays as the U.S. company struggles to develop the aircraft to Canada's specifications.

The frustrated Conservative government suspended the contract last year and even considered going back to the EH-101. But it was reactivated in late December after Sikorsky agreed to pay $88.6 million in damages for non-delivery and promised the first helicopters would arrive by next year, allowing the navy finally to begin retiring the Sea Kings.

However, the first Cyclones will not have the full capability specified by the government. Those aircraft won't start showing up until 2018.