Philippines to receive 2 refurbished C-130H Hercules airlifters acquired from US

One of the PAF's C-130H Hercules, this example also acquired from US EDA.

The Philippines’ Department of National Defense (DND) confirmed in a press statement that the Philippine Air Force (PAF) is expecting to receive delivery of two refurbished C-130H Hercules heavy tactical airlifter this year.

The first aircraft is expected to arrive before the end of July 2020, and the second aircraft will be arriving before the end of the year.

Both aircraft were acquired as part of the PAF’s modernization program, and were partly funded by the US government under US Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program. 

The PAF was said to have spent Php1.6 billion (US$30.76 million), while the US FMF program covered Php900 million (US$17.30 million) in total costs.

The aircraft are retired US military aircraft and placed as Excess Defense Articles (EDA), and were refurbished and upgraded before delivery to the PAF. A similar acquisition was made by the PAF in 2014, with the delivered C-130s featuring improved avionics including partial glass cockpit.

According to Philippine defense page MaxDefense Philippines, the C-130s were suppose to be delivered last year and delays pushed back the delivery by a year.

The PAF will now have a total of 7 C-130 Hercules aircraft, although MaxDefense Philippines said that the PAF’s sole C-130B is currently non-operational and is planned for retirement, while another C-130H which was damaged in a fire accident last year was now written off and cannibalized for spares.

[1] Philippine News Agency
[2] MaxDefense Philippines