The Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) has issued a Notice to Proceed for the acquisition of three brand new C-130J-30 aircraft units for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
The DND will purchase the units from US aerospace, arms defense, information security, and technology company Lockheed Martin through a direct commercial sale.
The three C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft are scheduled to arrive in the Philippines in July 2026, October 2026 and January 2027.
The three aircraft will be added to PAF’s current mixed fleet of C-130s used to support Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts and military operations.
鈥淭he additional cargo space of the C-130J-30, coupled with the reliability of C-130 aircraft we have in our current fleet, will provide our Air Force with greater operational flexibility,鈥 DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong told .
鈥淭hese features will empower our PAF to meet the demands of the AFP精东影业 tactical missions more effectively,鈥 Andalong added.
“Philippine Air Force crews have long demonstrated what the C-130 is designed to do: go everywhere 鈥 in any condition 鈥 to deliver hope and help where it’s needed most,” Rod McLean, Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin’s Air Mobility & Maritime Missions line of business, said in a release.
“It is an honor to continue serving the Philippines with the most advanced and capable C-130 ever produced. The Super Hercules provides the Philippine Air Force with unmatched interoperability and capability, supporting challenging mission requirements across the Pacific region,” McLean added.
The C-130J is the newest variant of the venerable C-130 and is equipped with new engines, flight deck and other systems. It is capable of transporting 92 to 128 passengers and has a maximum allowable load of 40,000.
The Philippines is a long-standing C-130 operator, receiving its first Hercules in the early 1970s.
