As part of an effort to expand defense cooperation with the United States and modernize its military forces, the Philippine armed forces has asked to acquire two surplus C-130T transports under a foreign military sale, announced the Pentagon. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the potential sale on July 23. The two airplanes, along with spare engines and logistics and sustainment support for three years, would cost an estimated $61 million, according to DSCA’s release. The Philippines already has several C-130s in its inventory (two H models and one older B model), but the extra airplanes would build the country’s maritime domain security capacity and bolster its airlift fleet, states the release. These aircraft would be vital to future humanitarian-assistance and disaster-relief operations both in the country “and the wider region, thereby reducing the potential level of US assistance requested/needed for these purposes,” it states. The announcement came just days after Philippine air force officials visited Pacific Air Forces headquarters at JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, for so-called airman-to-airman talks.
New Air Force Safety Tool Forecasts Mishap Risk
March 10, 2026
When you check the weather forecast, it can tell you there’s a 40 percent chance of rain for the day based on the barometric pressure, the wind, the humidity, or any number of factors. A new Air Force Safety Center dashboard offers commanders the same kind of outlook, but for mishaps—a forecast that quantifies their units’ risk level based on dozens of…