First C-130T now formally transferred to PHL

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 12): First C-130T now formally transferred to PHL
 

The Philippine AIr Force (PAF) on Tuesday formally accepted into service one of the two Lockheed C-130T "Hercules" cargo aircraft acquired from the US through the Excess Defense Articles Program.

Officially, there are now four C-130 aircraft in the Philippine Air Force (PAF) inventory.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg handed to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin the maintenance and operational records of the C-130T plus the aircraft manuals.

Gazmin then gave the items to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief-of-Staff Gen. Hernando DCA Iriberri who then handed the documents to the PAF Chief Lt. Gen. Edgar Fallorina.

The defense chief said that the two C-130Ts were acquired from the US for about USD55 million, with the Philippines contributing USD20 million and the American USD35 million.

Originally, these two C-130Ts were configured for tanker missions and were later converted for transport missions before being acquired by the Philippines.

The fourth C-130 arrived 11: 25 p.m. at Benito Ebuen Airbase, Mactan, Cebu last April 5.

It was flown by Filipino pilots headed by Col. Alejando Baclayon, Lt. Col. Ian Earth Lamzon, Major Ian Dexter Danes, Major Anthony Amora, and Major Ramil Daet.

The second aircraft is expected to arrive by this September or October.

The aircraft took off from Tucson, Arizona early this week and made stopovers in California, Hawaii, Wake and Guam Islands before heading for the Philippines.

Arrival of these planes will boosts the PAF's heavy lift capability.

"Remember if we need to move a big number of troops and supplies (especially) heavy equipment for rapid deployment, it will be much easier as we have additional (C-130) aircraft," PAF spokesperson Col. Araus Roberto Musico earlier said.

Originally, these two C-130Ts were configured for tanker missions and were later converted for transport missions before being acquired by the Philippines.

Aside from the C-130s, the PAF has three Airbus Military C-295 medium and three Fokker F-27 transports for its logistics and lift missions.

As this develops, Gazmin called the visit of US Defense Secretary Ash Carter during the "Balikatan" exercises as a demonstration of the robust defense relations between the US and the Philippines.

"(This demonstrates) the iron-clad commitment of the US to the Philippines (in regards to security) as stated by President Barack Obama," he added.

Carter is expected to arrive in the Philippines this Wednesday. On the same day, he is set to witness the HIMARS live-fire drills in Crow Valley in Tarlac.

The "Balikatan" exercises started last April 4 and will formally end on April 16.

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