Pacific Airlift Rally participants hold 'LCLA' airdrop drills

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 15, 2023): Pacific Airlift Rally participants hold 'LCLA' airdrop drills (By Priam Nepomuceno)

'LOW COST, LOW ALTITUDE' AIRDROP. An unidentified C-130 transport is seen conducting a 'low cost, low altitude' airdrop over the skies of Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija on Tuesday (Aug. 15, 2023). This exercise is part of the ongoing Pacific Airlift Rally, which runs from Aug. 14 to 18. (Photo courtesy of the Philippine Air Force)

MANILA – The participants in this year's Pacific Airlift Rally (PAR) conducted a "low-cost, low-altitude” (LCLA) airdrop in Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija on Tuesday.

"This activity is one of the flying training exercises of the Pacific Airlift Rally 2023 (PAR-23), which aims to expand the participants' capability in delivering bundle cargoes for humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations, increase participating air forces' interoperability, and improve logistics capabilities," Philippine Air Force (PAF) spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said in a statement Wednesday.

An LCLA airdrop is a method of delivering supplies from an aircraft.

Castillo said the term “low cost” is used because the pre-packed expendable parachutes being used for the airdrop is relatively cheaper.

Meanwhile, “low altitude” refers to the height of the aircraft during the actual drop.

Dropping from a lower altitude has been proven to be more accurate, she said.

"The LCLA serves as an opportunity for the PAF and other international counterparts to share knowledge and expertise on critical airdrop techniques," Castillo pointed out.

She said this would allow the contingent Air Force troops to improve their capabilities and be better prepared to respond to natural disasters and other humanitarian emergencies.

"For the PAF, this LCLA capability will enable our airlifters to quickly deliver resupply to ground operating troops and provide relief goods to areas inaccessible by land after the onslaught of calamities and disasters," Castillo said.

The PAR-23 runs from Aug. 14 to 18 with a total of 779 participants coming from the PAF and the Philippine Army, as well as their counterparts from the United States, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Canada, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste, who are set to take part in flying training, tabletop exercises and subject matter expert.

Castillo said the PAF, as a first-time host and 10th nation to facilitate this capability-building exercise, is honored to be the instrument that brought 14 countries together to achieve stronger multilateral cooperation.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207891