Philippines Hopes to Sign Contract for 2 New C-130Js in 2021

20 Februari 2021

C-130J Super Hercules (photo : Lockheed Martin)

Lorenzana sees 2 new C-130s for PH military before end of 2021

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines intends to buy two brand new Lockheed Martin C-130J military transport planes before the end of 2021, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Thursday (Feb. 18).

President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier approved the purchase of five of the planes but it was pared down to only two because government funds had been diverted to pandemic response.

“He (Duterte) said, ‘How many do you want to buy’? I said five. He said, ‘Approved.’ I was very happy but the pandemic ate all our funds,” Lorenzana said, recounting his conversation with the President. “And we are now back to these two,” he said at the turnover ceremony of a refurbished C-130 plane from the United States at the Villamor Air Base on Thursday.

“I hope I can sign the contract before the year ends,” he added.

Lorenzana also said he hoped to sign a deal for more Black Hawk helicopters, but he did not elaborate.

The COVID-19 pandemic, the defense secretary said, highlighted “the inadequacy of air transport.” At the height of the pandemic in 2020, only PAF planes were flying because civilian planes were not allowed to fly under COVID-19 quarantine rules.

PAF missions then involved transporting personal protective equipment, stranded passengers, medical supplies and virus testing kits across the country.

In 2020, the PAF told Congress that five new units of C-130J, one of the world’s most advanced tactical airlift aircraft, would be enough to effectively serve its mandate. The 5 planes cost P37 billion.

On Thursday, the PAF formally received the first of two refurbished C-130H planes from the US, which were acquired through US military financing. Both planes cost P2.5 billion but the Philippines only paid P1.6 billion while the US shouldered the rest of the amount or P900 million.

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