The Philippine Department of Defense announced that it has approved the purchase of three new C-130J-30 Super Hercules transport aircraft from Lockheed Martin as part of a direct purchase. By opting for the C-130J, the Philippines joins 21 other nations that also have the Super Hercules in their fleets.
The Philippines has been operating C-130 aircraft for a long time. The first Hercules was put into service in the early 1970s. Currently, the Philippine Air Force operates a mixed fleet of older C-130s to support critical humanitarian, military and natural disaster relief missions throughout the Indo-Pacific region. The PAF’s new C-130J-30s are the extended version with an extended cargo hold of five meters. Compared to the existing fleet, they offer higher performance and range, allow better integration, come with a larger cargo hold and generally improved flight characteristics. All three aircraft are scheduled for delivery as early as 2026. https://militaeraktuell.at/boeing-neue-apache-version-hebt-ab/ “Philippine Air Force crews have long demonstrated what the C-130 is designed to do: operate anywhere, in any conditions, to bring hope and help where it is needed most,” said Rod McLean, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Air Mobility & Maritime Missions business. The PAF’s knowledge of the Hercules aircraft and existing infrastructure makes the transition between versions of the Hercules much easier than introducing a new aircraft variant from another manufacturer.
Here for further reports on Lockheed-Martin.
