Breaking news
Two more C-130 Hercules military airlifters for the Philippine Air Force.
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World Defense & Security News - The Philippines
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Two more C-130 Hercules military airlifters for the Philippine Air Force
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According to the Filipino Times, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) is expecting the coming of two C-130 Hercules cargo planes that it refurbished from the United States to join fleet this year; with the first unit expected to arrive next week. The aircrafts were purchased through the US’s Excess Defense Articles Program in a contract worth P1.6-billion. The second Hercules will arrive in September this year.
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 A PAF C-130 Hercules military airlifter |
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The two C-130s are the tactical airlifter basic models or “T” model. “These C-130s are refurbished,” said outgoing PAF chief Lt. Gen. Jeffrey F. Hidalgo, who will be retiring on March 9.
The chief disclosed that the air force spent $34mn for the purchase of the C-130s. Hidalgo said he takes pride in the fact that his two-year service as PAF chief saw the service’s boosting its fleet of operational aircraft from 40 in 2014 to 90 this year; a more than 100% increase in operational aircraft in just two years. Over the last two years, the PAF acquired 34 aircraft – Agusta 109 multi-role attack helicopters, the Bell 412 helicopters, the C295 medium lift transport planes, the UH-1D helicopters, the first two of the dozen-unit FA50 lead-in fighter trainer jets that arrived in November — which are all part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) ongoing modernization program. |
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