MANILA - The United States on Tuesday donated a new surveillance system to the Philippine Air Force as part of its commitment to strengthen the Philippine military.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim turned over to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana the P807-million Special Airborne Mission Installation and Response (SABIR) system at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

The aid includes training costs, installation, and sustainment, the US Embassy said in a statement.

The said surveillance system is designed to upgrade the Philippine Air Force's (PAF) C-130 Hercules aircraft with advanced command and control without sacrificing its main function as a cargo plane.

The Embassy said the system "will increase the Philippine military’s maritime domain awareness, airborne command and control, counterterrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) capabilities."

The SABIR system will be operated by the PAF's Air Intelligence and Security Wing out of the Benito Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Cebu.

In 2016, Washington turned over 2 second-hand C-130 planes to Manila.