ov 10 -

OV-10A Bronco

Date Updated:
Thursday March 23, 2006

Twin turbine engined aircraft
(two 715 shp Garrett turboprops), primarily designed for COIN, light strike and
observation missions. Can carry up to 3,600 lbs of stores on seven weapons
stations. Maximum endurance is 5.5 hours with a combat radius of 300
nautical miles. Carries a pilot and an observer in tandem on two zero-zero
ejection seats (LW-3B). The rear seat is removable though in practice this
is rarely done. Reflecting its ground support and surveillance role, it
carries a high level of communication and navigation equipment including GPS,
VOR, TACAN IFF, ADF and VHF-AM, VHF-FM, UHF, HF radios. GPS was added in
the Philippines. The GPS units on PAF Broncos are installed on the cockpit coaming
together with a power receptacle to connect it to an on-board power source.
Cockpit lighting is also NVG compatible.

All were received from the US
without armament and have been modified in Philippine service. PAF OV-10s
are normally armed with 4 7.62mm mgs with 500 rounds per gun) though a twin .50
cal installation has been tried on a few units. Like the MG520s,
the OV-10s also carries 2.75 inch rocket pods (either two or four pods) under the
fuselage sponsoons or 5 inch Zuni rocket pods
or a combination of both. In addition, they have also been known to carry
the same .50 cal gun pods used by the MG-520. The .50 cal armament is
appreciated because of its longer range and the heavier throw weight of the .50
cal rounds which enables it to penetrate thicker vegetation. Aside from
the guns, PAF OV-10s have been know to carry 110lb, 260lb, 500lb and 750 lb bombs as well
as 81mm clusters (locally manufactured cluster bombs) and
locally developed 20mm gun pods.
Load out depends on weapons availability and mission requirements.

A Service Life Extension
Program has been started with all remaining serviceable OV-10s slated to go
through the program. With the assistance of
Marsh Aviation, the PAF is currently overhauling and modernizing the
airframe and its systems as well as replacing the increasingly difficult to
maintain and service three bladed propeller with brand new units from Marsh
Aviation and Hartzell.
The program includes the replacement of the difficult to maintain three bladed
propeller, fitting of new gearboxes to improve maintainability, zero timing the
airframes and overhauling of the aircrafts subsystems to extend the service
life of the airframe, improve serviceability and make the fleet easier to
maintain. In place of the old three bladed propeller, a new
100 inch diameter propeller designed and manufactured by
Hartzell has been
fitted. In addition, the fleet is due to receive enough locally build 20mm
gun pods to equip all aircraft.

Service History

27 delivered from USAF stocks
from 1991 to 92. The type was ordered to replace AT-28Ds that had
previously been used by the 15th Strike Wing based at Sangley Point (now called
Atienza Air Base). The type is heavily used in the light strike role in
support of Philippine troops engaged in operations against various rebel groups
operating in the North and South of the country. In addition, they also
have a limited maritime surveillance tasking over the Spratly islands, flying
out of Bautista Air Base in Palawan. On at least one recorded occasion,
they have been fired upon by Vietnamese troops while engaged in this activity.
In addition, they have also encountered Malaysian Hawks engaged in similar tasks
over the territory.

At least two aircraft are know to have been hit and destroyed on the ground during an attack by NPA
rebels against Cauayan Air Base in Isabela Province (Northern Luzon) in 1992 (see "Write-Offs"). One crashed (S/N
68-3792) outside of Clark Air Base
killing one of the few combat qualified female pilots of the PAF in 2001 (see
"Write-Offs" for this and details of other
casualties).

In an effort to provide 24×7
air support and maximize the use of it’s existing aircraft, PAF OV-10 pilots
have been receiving training from USMC aviators in night flying procedures and
operations. Training started with Balikatan 2000 and is acknowledged to be
on-going.

Current Status

In 2001, the PAF CG declared
that keeping the whole fleet fully operational was a priority for the PAF as
well as acquiring more A and getting D model Broncos. 21 remain out of 27 delivered
with a further eight received from Thailand. Readiness is improving with
an infusion of cash provided by AFP modernization funds. However, the
fleet is currently in the process of going through the SLEP program. Six
have completed the upgrades with the rest of the active fleet due to finish the
upgrade by the end of the year (2006). Despite this, there are still a
lack of strike assets and the SF260TPs continue to
shoulder part of the close air support mission.

8 Thai OV-10Cs were transferred to the Philippines
this year (2005), down from the 15 originally slated for transfer. The OV-10s
were donated to the PAF by the Thais together with the existing stock of spares
for the Thai OV-10s. These OV-10s are also slated to go through the OV-10
modernization program.

Photos

Fleet Information

PAF Serial Number	USAF Serial Number	Construction Number	Last noted / fate	Remarks
15 ex USAF 1991-92
63555	66-13555	305-4	01.97, 05.98	USAF origin: 27 Tactical Air Support Squadron, George AFB, CA (c. 1987)
559	66-13559	305-8	91, 97	USAF origin: 25 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Eielson AFB, AK (c. 1987)
74605	67-14605	305-13	92	USAF origin: 549 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Patrick AFB, FL (c. 1987)
610	67-14610	305-18	01.97, 05.05	USAF origin: 549 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Patrick AFB, FL (c. 1987) One of the first two aircraft to modernized by the PAF with the assistance of Marsh Aviation of Arizona under the PAF’s Service Life Extension Program.
74611	67-14611	305-19	w/o 18.08.95	USAF origin: 549 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Patrick AFB, FL (c. 1987)
14613	67-14613	305-21	w/o 31.05.93	USAF origin: 549 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Patrick AFB, FL (c. 1987)
629	67-14629	305-37	03.97	USAF origin: 549 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Patrick AFB, FL (c. 1987)
630	67-14630	305-38	02.99	USAF origin: 27 Tactical Air Support Squadron, George AFB, CA (c. 1987)
74639	67-14639	305-47	01.97, 01.98	USAF origin: 19 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Osan AB, ROK (c. 1987)
74641	67-14639	305-49	01.97, 01.98	USAF origin: 27 Tactical Air Support Squadron, George AFB, CA (c. 1987)
74666	67-14666	305-74	92	USAF origin: 27 Tactical Air Support Squadron, George AFB, CA (c. 1987)
74667	67-14667	305-75		*Reported to have been written off with USAF 24.12.71 in Vietnam!*
792	68-3792	321-118	w/o 19.03.01	USAF origin: 19 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Osan AB, ROK (c. 1987)
801	68-3801	321-127	05.98, 10.98	USAF origin: 27 Tactical Air Support Squadron, George AFB, CA (c. 1987)
83830	68-3830	321-156	01.97, 05.98, 05,05	USAF origin: 27 Tactical Air Support Squadron, George AFB, CA (c. 1987). One of the first two aircraft to modernized by the PAF with the assistance of Marsh Aviation of Arizona under the PAF’s Service Life Extension Program.
9 ex USAF 1992
*601*	*67-14601*		01.99, 02.99	USAF 67-14601 = A-7D Corsair II
*603*	*67-14603*		01.99, 02.99	USAF 67-14603 = U-17C
636	67-14636	305-44	05.98	*Reported as preserved at Hickam AFB, HI!*
647	67-14647	305-55	01.97	USAF origin: 22 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Wheeler AFB, HI (c. 1987)
669	67-14669	305-77	01.97	USAF origin: 22 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Wheeler AFB, HI (c. 1987)
677	67-14677	305-85	06.96	USAF origin: 22 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Wheeler AFB, HI (c. 1987)
679	67-14679	305-87	03.00, 09.00, 06.06	USAF origin: 19 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Osan AB, ROK (c. 1987). Upgraded with new 4 blade props from Marsh Aviation.
681	67-14681	305-89	w/o 26.01.98	USAF origin: 19 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Osan AB, ROK (c. 1987) (active 01.97)
*74727*	*67-14727*		01.97, 01.98	USAF 67-14727 = C-130E Hercules
3 ex USAF (transfer date not known)
	67-14684	305-92		USAF origin: 25 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Eielson AFB, AK (c. 1987)
	67-14694	305-102		USAF origin: 27 Tactical Air Support Squadron, George AFB, CA (c. 1987)
	68-3826	321-152		USAF origin: 22 Tactical Air Support Squadron, Wheeler AFB, HI (c. 1987)

OV-10 Write-Offs

date	s/n	fate of crew	location, remarks
05.11.92			Two aircraft were blasted in an NPA attack against Cauayan AB, Isabela (one reported damaged beyond repair, perhaps both later written off).
31.05.93	67-14613	Pilot survived.	Crashed shortly after take-off from Cauayan AB, Isabela.
18.08.95	67-14611 Note: 826 (ex 68-3826) is also reported as having crashed at Puerto Princesa (date?).	Pilot killed.	Crashed into mangrove swamp near Bautista AB, Palawan, after it entered an uncontrollable spin following participation in a fly-past over Puerto Princesa. The front section of the aircraft broke off on impact, killing the solo pilot. Reported to have been the fourth write-off, but the first fatality.
31.03.97 01.04.97?	?	Both crew ejected safely, suffering only minor bruises.	Suffered engine problems during a post-maintenance test flight. When the aircraft crashed, however, burning debris landed on a house in the Toril district of Davao City, setting it on fire. A woman in the house suffered serious burns (resulting in her death) and her two young children suffered light burns.
26.01.98	67-14681	Pilot seriously injured.	Crash-landed in a banana plantation in Tagum, Davao City, Mindanao.
19.03.01	68-3792	Pilot 1st Lt. Mary Grace Baloyo killed, co-pilot Capt. Ben Nasayo injured.	Crashed at Fil-Homes subdivision, Barangay Mabiga, Mabalacat, Pampanga, when port engine failed at 1,000ft in driving rain on approach to Runway 20 at Clark Field. Co-pilot Captain Ben Nasayo ejected safely at 300ft, suffering only minor injuries. Female pilot First Lieutenant Mary Grace Baloyo remained with the aircraft, successfully guiding it into an open area of the village in order to prevent injury on the ground or damage to property before she was killed in the crash.
83830	68-3830?	Pilot Aniano Amatong killed, co-pilot James Acosta survived with no injuries	Crashed in Paumbong, Bulacan province on 24 January, 2006 en route to Clark AFB from Sangley Point in Cavite to participate in exercises with US forces known as "Balance Piston". Initial reports state that there was a loss of power to the left engine. Aircraft was said to be one of the first to undergo the Marsh upgrade.

Thai OV-10s
Transferred to the PAF.

A total of 8 OV-10Cs were transferred to the PAF
in two batches. Transfers were done by ship from Thailand to Sangley Point

together with aircraft spares where overhauls were conducted. They were
later flown to Villamor where the formal transfers took

place.

Thai Serial	US Serials	Last noted / fate	Remarks
17/16/41117	159134	Transferred to PAF Sept 8 at Villamor AB	Transferred September 8. Were called J-5s in Thai use and served with RTAF 411 squadron. The first two numbers are the Thai Serials while the third set is the squadron code.
19/16/41119	159136	Transferred to PAF Sept 8 at Villamor AB
22/16/41122	159139	Transferred to PAF Sept 8 at Villamor AB
25/16/41125	159142	Transferred to PAF Sept 8 at Villamor AB
		Transferred to the PAF May 2004	A further four OV-10Cs were transferred to the PAF in May 2004 bringing the total up to 8.

PAF Serial Number

USAF Serial Number

USAF 67-14601 = A-7D Corsair II

USAF 67-14603 = U-17C

USAF 67-14727 = C-130E Hercules

3 ex USAF (transfer date not known)

Thai Serial

US Serials

3 ex
USAF (transfer date not known)