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Philippines receives C-130 plane from U.S.

Xinhua, October 10, 2016 Adjust font size:

A C-130 plane, the last one of two transport aircraft acquired from the United States, arrived in Cebu City on Sunday night.

Air Force spokesman Col. Antonio Francisco Jr said the plane, manned by Filipino pilots, touched down at around 7:56 p.m. (1156 GMT) Sunday at the Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base, home to the Air Force's 2nd Air Division.

The plane departed a U.S. air force facility in Tucson, Arizona, on Thursday. Francisco said the aircraft made several stop-overs for refueling, the last in Guam, before heading to the Philippines.

Like the four other C-130s in the inventory of the Air Force, Francisco said the newly-arrived plane will be used primarily used for transport.

C-130s serve as the work horse of the military in the transport of its personnel and supplies to the frontline. These aircraft are used in the delivery of relief goods during calamities.

They are also used by the military for maritime patrol, though this is merely a secondary mission for the aircraft.

"It will enhance our capability in the transport of troops and supplies. It will also help us in responding to calamities. One of duties is to deliver relief goods," said Francisco.

The plane is one of the two C-130s acquired by the defense and military establishment from the United States, under the Excess Defense Articles Program, for 1.6 billion pesos (35.61 million U.S. dollars). The first aircraft was delivered in April.

Asked if they have future plans to acquire additional C-130s or other U.S. aircraft, Francisco said he is not aware of such plans. "That C-130 will be the last of two we acquired from the U.S. Excess Defense Articles," he said.

The Air Force currently has several other transport planes in its inventory, including three C-295 and three Fokker planes which are classified as medium-lift aircraft. Endit