President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday inspected 23 newly-delivered air assets for the military.

The new aircraft include a C-130H cargo plane, six S70i Blackhawk utility helicopters, six A-29B Super Tucanos, six Hermes 900 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and 4 Hermes 450 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. These "will play an indispensable role in safeguarding our nation," said Duterte.

"Our efforts to strengthen our military have been vital in ensuring that we are able to fulfill our sworn and shared duty of protecting our sovereignty and safeguarding the welfare of the Filipino people," the President said in a speech before troops.

Duterte has approved the acquisition of 15 more helicopters for the military after a Vietnam war-era chopper crashed in a southern province last month killing several soldiers.