PAF seeks to acquire 5 brand-new C-130J Super Hercules

Aviation Updates Philippines – A report from the INQUIRER.net’s Frances Mangosing has revealed the Philippine Air Force’s exciting plans to procure at least five brand-new Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft to aid in the military’s logistics operations.

“This would be enough to serve our mandate to be able to transport one rapidly deployable battalion at one stroke,” Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes said in a budget hearing at the House of Representatives, according to a report from INQUIRER.net.

The project is projected to cost Php37 billion, with only at least 15 percent of the total project cost needed as a down-payment for the first year. Paredes said the Brand New Additional Transport Aircraft Acquisition Project of the Philippine Air Force has already gained President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval since May.

MaxDefense Philippines, the leading source of Philippine-defense related news, said its sources have confirmed that the PAF is looking into buying the stretched C-130J-30 variant. The -30 variant is 15 feet longer than the standard C-130J version, making it capable of carrying more cargo.

The acquisition of more transport aircraft is timely as the frequently typhoon-hit Philippines needs to ramp-up its Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) capabilities. The arrival of these state-of-the-art C-130Js will support PAF’s current fleet of four aging C-130 Hercules aircraft.

MaxDefense also hinted that the C-130J procurement project is related to the F-16 Block 70 Viper offer to the Philippines from the US government and Lockheed Martin.

Photo from the Royal New Zealand Air Force