PAF acquires 2 new cargo planes from US

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has acquired two more C-130 Hercules planes from the United States for P1.6 billion, outgoing Air Force commander Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado said yesterday.

One of the newly refurbished cargo and transport aircraft will be arriving this month while the second is due in September, he added.

The acquisition of the two cargo planes will fully meet the lift requirements of the military, which is currently using one C-130 and three medium-lift C-295 to transport troops and cargo.

Delgado bows out of the military service today, a few days ahead of his mandatory retirement age of 56 years on March 20.

“In the last two years, we have achieved more. When I started two years ago, the operational aircraft was just 40, though we have many (air assets) in our inventory. But now, we are almost reaching 90. We achieved more than double and are looking forward to have 100 operational planes including our new acquisition,” Delgado said.

It was during his term that PAF acquired 34 aircraft, the biggest haul in recent times, to comply with the government’s military modernization program, he added.

A veteran fighter pilot who survived two crashes of T28 (Tora-Tora) planes, Delgado said he is leaving the service happy and contented because he could now spend most of his time with family and play golf.

In 1989, while piloting a T28, Delgado ditched at the Manila Bay after the plane developed engine failure. That same year, he also crash-landed a T28 at a grassy portion of Sangley Airfield in Cavite after the landing gear malfunctioned.

Delgado said he would never forget the joy he felt when two FA50 supersonic trainer jets touched down at Clark Airbase in Pampanga last November.

“That’s the happiest moment and the best ever in my life as an Air Force officer. I’ve waited 20 years for that… I could only say in excitement: ‘na andyan na. Nakarating na, nakatouch down na’ (There it is. It finally arrived. It touched down),” he said, recounting his joy that an F50 arrived to replace the old F5 units.

To celebrate his retirement and as a PAF tradition, Delgado made a champagne flight by flying a T41 Cessna three weeks ago. He explained that he opted to fly that unit because it was the first aircraft he flew when he joined the Air Force.

New commander

Meanwhile, Air Force men will have a new commander today after Malacañang designated Lt. Gen. Edgar Fallorina as the new PAF commanding general.

Delgado will hand over the command to Fallorina at the Basa Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas today.

The most senior among four candidates, Fallorina is described as a seasoned PAF officer. He is a native of Jaro in Leyte and a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Matikas Class” of 1983.

Prior to this, he was comptroller and resource manager of the former Office of Deputy Chief of Staff for Comptrollership; chief of the AFP Educational Benefit Systems Office; PAF internal auditor; chief of PAF Resource Management Office and chief of Air Staff.

He was also former commander of the 206th Tactical Helicopter Squadron and of the 450th Maintenance and Supply Group; commander of the Tactical Operations Group based in Sanga-Sanga, Tawi-Tawi, and of the 520th Air Wing.

Fallorina also served as PAF deputy commander of 3rd Air Division; commander of the 1st Air Division, and PAF vice commander.