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.
Air Force Conducts Test Launch of Minuteman III ICBM
May 21, 2025
The Air Force tested an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif,. at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time May. 21. The successful test saw the missile equipped with a single reentry vehicle travel more than 4,200 miles to strike a test site near Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall…