Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil L Gavan, formally signed the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the acquisition of three (3) King Air aircraft from the United States during a bilateral meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of War for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs John Noh at Makati Diamond Residences, Makati City, today, February 16, 2026. The milestone signing cements a critical upgrade to the PCG’s Maritime Domain Awareness and Search and Rescue capability. The LOA signing comes at a critical time, following the recent series of maritime incidents in the West Philippine Sea involving MV Devon Bay and the recent sinking of M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 off Basilan in January 26, 2026, that have underscored the urgent need for faster and more efficient SAR response.
Beyond the King Air aircraft, Admiral Gavan and U.S. Assistant Secretary of War for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Noh also discussed the Search and Rescue Optimal Planning System Program, a comprehensive U.S. Coast Guard SAR planning program that uses advanced environmental data modeling and simulation technology to optimize search planning and maximize the probability of locating persons in distress at sea.
The introduction of these capabilities is expected to significantly boost the PCG’s effectiveness in MDA and SAR operations.
The two officials also discussed broader U.S. support for the PCG’s modernization, including sustained MDA operations in the West Philippine Sea and other core coast guard functions. The meeting reinforced the coast guard-to-coast guard dimension of the U.S.-Philippine alliance and the shared commitment to a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific. In a historic first, Admiral Gavan announced that the PCG will participate in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise as the first foreign coast guard to join the exercise since its inception- placing the PCG alongside the world’s leading navies and maritime security agencies.
The PCG has not yet disclosed the cost or specific variant of the aircraft. The Beechcraft King Air is a line of American utility aircraft produced by Beechcraft owned by Textron Aviation since 2014. The King Air line comprises a number of twin-turboprop models that have been divided into two families. The Model 90 and 100 series developed in the 1960s are known as King Airs, while the later T-tail Model 200 and 300 series were originally marketed as Super King Airs, with the name “Super” being dropped by Beechcraft in 1996 (although it is still often used to differentiate the 200 and 300 series King Airs from their smaller stablemates).
