AFP boosts air assets

Photo by Frances Mangosing/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–A newly refurbished C-130 cargo plane and other air and ground assets were turned over at the Philippine Air Force Headquarters at Villamor Air Base Friday.

Aside from the 48-year-old C-130B (3633), the PAF will also have one rainmaker aircraft (LC-210), one recovered Huey, and 12 M-35 trucks, all of which were blessed in the ceremony.

The restored assets were part of the military’s P579.4 million maintenance project. The C130 (3633) project took 33 months. It was the first C130 to be completely repaired locally, according to Vice Commander Major General Raul Gabriel Dimatatac who led the ceremonies.

Dimatatac also recognized the project team behind the restoration of C130, composed of personnel from Air Logistics Command, 200th Airlift Wing and 410th Maintenance Wing.

There are now three C-130s in the Air Force inventory, with another (#4704) that underwent the Programmed Depot Maintenance in Mojave, California using US Foreign Military funding which lasted for 27 months and cost P549.8 million for structural work alone.