Air Force gets refurbished C-130 plane from US

A ceremonial water cannon salute during the arrival of a new C-130H at Clark Air Base, Mabalacat City, Pampanga. (Photo from the Philippine Air Force)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has received from the United States the second of two Lockheed Martin C-130H tactical transport aircraft, boosting its ferry capacity in disaster relief operations and various peacekeeping missions.

The refurbished former US Air Force aircraft with tail number 5157 was acquired through the US government’s Excess Defense Articles Program.

It was welcomed with a water cannon salute at Clark Air Base in Pampanga on Feb. 16 after an American crew flew it in from Waco, Texas, the PAF said in a statement on Monday.

“The new addition will bolster the PAF’s cargo airlift fleet and support humanitarian assistance, disaster relief operations, and various military missions,” it added.

The first C-130H plane was delivered in 2021. Both cost P2.5 billion but the Philippines would pay only P1.6 billion while the United States would fund the rest through US foreign military financing.

The PAF said a formal acceptance, turnover, and blessing ceremony for the aircraft was tentatively scheduled for the end of February or March.

READ: PAF: C-130 aircraft acquired from US arrives in PH

The country has four refurbished C-130s in the PAF inventory that were also acquired through US foreign military financing.

The Department of National Defense signed a deal with Lockheed Martin in October last year for three brand new C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft worth P22.1 billion.

These are expected to be delivered by July and October 2026 and January 2027.

— FRANCES MANGOSING