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Pinoy Aviators, General Aviation Area, Pasay City (2026)

Our Mission:

To promote Philippine Military, General and Commercial Aviation from Fixed Wing to Rotary Aircraft and everything in between. We support our Pinoy Aviators and Aviatrices wherever they may be and the Philippine Aviation Industry. Our Vision:

A well-informed community in the field of aviation wherein one seeks to be informed and share his/her ideas for the benefit of everyone. Worldwide reach establishing and reinforcing the reputable Philippine Aviation Industry.

08/06/2026

THE ATENEO "BLUE BULLET" WHO CHOSE THE SKY

Some men become celebrities... Others become legends!

And then there are those rare few who quietly dedicate their lives to something greater than themselves, the service of their country.

One such man was First Lieutenant Antonio "Choly" Gaston of the Philippine Air Force. Long before he wore the Air Force silver wings on his chest, he wore the blue and white colors basketball uniform of the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles with pride. He was not merely another player on the roster. He was the team's top scorer, Most Valuable Player, and one of the finest basketball players of his generation.

Sportswriters called him the "Blue Bullet" of the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

Before that, while playing for Ateneo de Cagayan, they knew him as the "Cagayan Cyclone."

On the hardwood, he was fast, fearless, and impossible to ignore. But despite all the applause, trophies, and recognition, Choly Gaston chose a different path.

He chose to serve the Armed Forces of the Philippines... He chose to serve the flag rather than chase fame. While many athletes dream of championships, he dreamed of the sky.

As a member of the Philippine Air Force Flying School Class 1955A, 1LT Gaston quickly proved that his talents extended far beyond basketball. He possessed an extraordinary natural ability to fly. Fellow cadets and instructors recognized that rare instinctive touch on the controls that cannot be taught in classrooms... A talented, gifted guy.

Some pilots learn to fly... In the Philippine Air Force Flying School (PAFFS), many Aviation Cadets were born for it... And 1LT Choly Gaston was one of the few civilians from colleges and universities selected to learn to fly in the PAFFS.

His skills would eventually earn him the prestigious McMicking Award, one of the highest distinctions an aviation cadet pilot could receive. But military aviation is a profession built on discipline, and even the best pilots occasionally discover where confidence ends and regulations begin.

One sunny day over Tanauan, Batangas, Aviation Cadet Antonio "Choly" Gaston and his classmate, Aviation Cadet Rizalino "Zaling" Cabanban, were flying solo in their North American T-6 Texan trainers.

What followed was an aerial maneuver that looked magnificent from the ground and absolutely terrible from a military regulations handbook.

To observers below, it appeared that Aviation Cadet Cabanban had illegally joined up on Gaston's wing.

The truth was even more impressive, and even more illegal... Aviation Cadet Gaston, flying in the lead position, was actually manipulating his aircraft to form up with his classmate. While Cabanban stubbornly held his line, Gaston carefully worked the formation from the front.

It was an exceptional flight... It was also a spectacular violation of flight regulations.

In modern terms, one might say they were demonstrating "advanced confidence" with beginner-level common sense.

Unfortunately, the Philippine Air Force Flying School was not known for rewarding creativity in matters of flight safety.

The offense was serious enough to send both aviation cadets before an Elimination Board.

The timing could not have been worse.

After surviving the brutal grind of military flight training as a DODO in the Philippine Air Force Flying School at Fernando Air Base, both young men were only a handful of flights away from earning their silver wings. Years of sacrifice, sweat, and relentless pressure had brought them to the threshold of becoming military aviators.

Then, in a single reckless moment, everything hung in the balance.

They now faced the possibility of being washed out of the Philippine Air Force Flying School, a fate every aviation cadet feared more than failure itself.

Being washed out did not simply mean failing a course. It meant watching years of dreams collapse overnight. It meant saying goodbye to the cockpit, surrendering the silver wings they had fought so hard to earn, and returning home carrying the weight of what might have been. For many aviation cadets, it was a career-ending blow and a personal heartbreak that lingered for a lifetime.

They had already endured the relentless scrutiny of instructors, the exhausting academic demands, the unforgiving check rides, and the constant threat of elimination that haunted every stage of training. Many had started the journey. Not all would finish it.

Now, with graduation almost within reach, Aviation Cadet Gaston and Aviation Cadet Cabanban found themselves standing at the edge of a cliff, staring into the very abyss that had claimed countless aviation cadets before them.

One unfavorable vote from the Elimination Board could erase years of sacrifice and end their dreams of becoming military officers and pilots forever. Their silver wings were no longer waiting at the finish line.

They were hanging by a thread.

The board convened under Major Elias Lavadia of the 101st Pilot School Squadron, Major Lucio Java of the 102nd Pilot School Squadron, and Colonel Manesio Reventar, Commander of the 100th Training Wing and Commandant of Cadets.

After deliberation, the votes ended in a deadlock.

One vote to eliminate.

One vote to retain.

The deciding vote belonged to Colonel Reventar.

At that moment, military discipline collided with another battlefield entirely, the basketball court.

The Philippine Air Force Inter-Wing Basketball Championship was underway. The 100th Training Wing was preparing for a fierce championship showdown against the powerful 5th Fighter Wing.

And Colonel Reventar happened to be the coach.

More importantly, he happened to have a rather serious wager riding on the outcome.

As fate would have it, one of his best players was standing directly in front of him wearing an aviation cadet uniform.

Colonel Reventar faced a dilemma familiar to coaches throughout history: Should he eliminate his star player days before the championship?

The answer arrived quickly.

Standing rigidly at attention, Aviation Cadet Gaston was asked what he had to say.

His response was simple.

"I will accept any punishment short of elimination, sir."

Aviation Cadet Cabanban immediately echoed him.

"I will accept any punishment short of elimination, sir."

Colonel Reventar cast the deciding vote.

Both aviation cadets would remain.

The Air Force would keep two promising future pilots.

The basketball team would keep two valuable players.

And Colonel Reventar would keep his championship hopes alive.

Everybody won.

Well... almost everybody.

The punishment that followed was designed to ensure the two aviation cadets never forgot the lesson.

Their upperclassmen privileges vanished overnight.

For the remainder of their aviation cadet training, they double-timed everywhere they went.

They wing-walked aircraft beneath the blazing Philippine sun.

They hauled parachutes across the flight line.

They performed duties usually reserved for the newest DODO and most junior aviation cadets. (DODO is an aviation cadet with zero flying hours)

In short, they spent several weeks discovering that military forgiveness and military comfort are two entirely different things.

The consequences extended beyond graduation. Their request for assignment to the prestigious 5th Fighter Wing was denied.

Instead, both men were retained at Fernando Air Base as Instructor Pilots. The dream of flying fighters would have to wait. In exchange for keeping their careers, they would stay behind and teach future generations of military aviators.

Looking back, it may have been one of the most important decisions of their lives. True leadership is not measured by how many people follow you. It is measured by how many people you prepare to replace you.

As instructors, LT Gaston and LT Cabanban helped shape the next generation of Philippine Air Force pilots.

They passed forward the knowledge, discipline, and professionalism entrusted to them.

Years later, fate would once again call upon Lieutenant Gaston in the skies above Fernando Air Base.

During a four-ship aerobatic demonstration flown by experienced Instructor Pilots, tragedy struck.

As the formation entered a low cloud layer, Gaston's aircraft collided with the airplane ahead of him.

The crew of the other aircraft successfully bailed out.

Lieutenant Antonio "Choly" Gaston did not... He went down with his aircraft... He was gone far too soon.

Yet his story endures.

Not because he was Ateneo's MVP.

Not because he was the Blue Bullet.

Not because he won championships.

Not because he earned the McMicking Award.

His story endures because he chose service before self.

Because he pursued excellence whether on the basketball court, in the classroom, or in the cockpit.

Because he understood that greatness is not measured by applause but by contribution.

To every young Filipino dreaming of becoming a military pilot, remember this:

The silver wings are not given to perfect people... They are earned by men and women who refuse to quit.

You will make mistakes.

You will face setbacks.

You will be tested physically, mentally, and emotionally.

You may even find yourself carrying parachutes across a scorching flight line while wondering where your life choices went wrong.

But if your commitment is stronger than your obstacles, your dreams remain within reach.

First Lieutenant Antonio "Choly" Gaston proved that a man can be an athlete, a scholar, an instructor, a patriot, and a warrior all at once.

His life reminds us that the highest honor is not becoming famous.

The highest honor is serving something greater than yourself.

For championships fade.

Records are broken.

Crowds eventually go home.

But the privilege of serving the Republic of the Philippines and defending its skies remains forever.

Blue Eagle.

Blue Bullet.

Air Force Officer.

Military Aviator.

Patriot.

May his story continue to inspire future generations to dream boldly, work relentlessly, and serve faithfully beneath the flag he loved.

1Lt. Choly Gaston during his instructor pilot days with the 102nd Pilot School Squadron.

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07/06/2026

THE COURTROOM OF THE SKIES

The two aviation cadets who were almost washed out of the Philippine Air Force Flying School.

The incident unfolded in the traffic pattern over Tanauan, where two North American T-6 Texan trainers glinted against the Batangas sky. Aviation Cadet Antonio Ma. "Choly" Gaston and Aviation Cadet Rizalino “Zaling” Cabanban were flying solo, pushing their advanced trainers through the standard landing sequence. To the watching eyes below, and to Captain Ernesto "Ting" Aquino, airborne that day as the Supervisor of Flying, it appeared to be a textbook, albeit highly illegal, stunt. From every angle, it looked as though Cabanban had aggressively broken regulations to join up on the wing of Gaston.

The reality inside the cockpits was far more nuanced, a masterclass in unorthodox piloting. It was actually Gaston, flying from the lead position, who was actively executing the formation of his classmate. Gaston possessed that rare, intuitive feel for the stick that defied standard airmanship; he was simply that good, a pilot of such caliber that he would later claim the coveted McMicking Award of their class (PAFFS Class 1955A). While Gaston manipulated his aircraft from the front to lock them into close formation, the young Cabanban did his part by stubbornly maintaining his line and holding his position. It was a spectacular display of flying, but it was also a major flying safety violation. In the rigid hierarchy of the Philippine Air Force Flying School, it was a hanging offense.

The timing could not have been more agonizing. Both aviation cadets were a mere handful of rides away from their final completion checks. They had survived the grueling gauntlet of Lipa; they were practically pilots already, with their silver wings almost within reach.

Now, they are facing the Elimination Board.

The tribunal convened with three formidable officers holding the fate of the two cocky firstclassmen in their hands: Major Elias Lavadia of the 101st Pilot School Squadron, Major Lucio Java of the 102nd Pilot School Squadron, and Colonel Manesio Reventar, the Commander of the 100th Training Wing and concurrent Commandant of the PAFFS Aviation Cadets. Under the rules of the board, the Wing Commander would only cast a vote to break a tie. When the primary ballots were tallied, the board split right down the middle: a 1-1 deadlock.

The final, decisive stroke belonged to Colonel Reventar. On paper, the military bureaucracy demanded the strict enforcement of discipline to preserve flight safety. But human institutions are rarely governed by paper alone, and Colonel Reventar was operating under a very different, highly strategic set of operational variables.

It was the height of the Philippine Air Force Interwing Basketball Tournament.

The championship had boiled down to an intense, high-stakes rivalry between the battle-tested 5th Fighter Wing and the proud 100th Training Wing Trainers. Colonel Reventar, serving as the coach of the Trainers, was a fiercely competitive man who would not allow his squad to lose on the hardwood. More to the point, he had a heavy, face-saving bet riding on the outcome with Colonel Godofredo Juliano (PAFFS Class 1939A), the Commander of the 5th Fighter Wing.

To win that trophy, Reventar needed his absolute best weapons on the court. And as fate would have it, Cadet Antonio Gaston was not just a genius in the cockpit; he was a legend on the hardwood. He was his team's top shooter and most valuable player. Years before entering the Philippine Air Force as an aviation cadet of the PAFFS, he had been known as the "Cagayan Cyclone" while playing for Ateneo de Cagayan, later leading the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles to an NCAA championship, where sportswriters dubbed him the "Blue Bullet."

Gaston and Cabanban were bunkmates, a potent pairing of the Philippine Air Force Flying School's top talents. Gaston was the aviation cadet First Captain, and number one in flying proficiency; Cabanban was at the top in academic proficiency. They represented the finest the class of PAFFS 1955A had to offer, both on the flight line, classroom and on the basketball court... Colonel Reventar faced a pragmatic dilemma: why would any coach wash out his star player on the eve of the biggest game of the year?

The two cadets were marched into the boardroom, standing at rigid attention before the triumvirate. Colonel Reventar looked across the table at the two young men whose careers hung by a thread.

"What do you two have to say?" the Commandant asked, his voice level.

Gaston spoke first, his response measured and unwavering. "I will accept any punishment short of elimination, sir."

Cabanban followed immediately, echoing his bunkmate. "I will accept any punishment short of elimination, sir."

Colonel Reventar did not hesitate. He cast his tie-breaking vote in favor of retention. The star shooter would stay, the academic ace would remain beside him, the air force would have two good pilots, the 100th Training Wing would claim its championship, and retain the MVP for another two years at least.

The administrative mercy, however, came at a physical price. The punishment meted out to the two firstclassmen was designed to grind them into the asphalt of Fernando Air Base. Their coveted "At Ease" privileges within the stage house and across the flight line were instantly suspended. For the remainder of their time until graduation day, the two senior cadets were forced to double-time everywhere, wing-walk the aircraft under the scorching sun, and haul parachutes across the tarmac.

Furthermore, their tactical ambitions were severely curtailed. Their first assignment preference for fighter operations—the dream of every young graduate wanting to climb into a Mustang—was summarily rescinded. In exchange for keeping their careers, they were forced to commit to staying in Lipa for two full classes as Instructor Pilots (IPs). They would not be heading to the fighter squadrons; they would be staying behind to teach the next generation how to fly.

The punishment left a lasting mark. Even after graduation, when they had formally donned their officer uniforms and assumed their duties as new Instructor Pilots, the two men would occasionally find themselves double-timing across the ramp out of sheer, unthinking habit, laughing it off once they realized they were no longer cadets.

They remained inseparable, sharing quarters as Bachelor Officers' Quarters (BOQ) roommates. When the time came for Rizalino to marry, it was Choly Gaston who stood beside him at the altar as his best man.

But the skies over Batangas, which had brought them together, are notoriously unforgiving. Sadly, a couple of years later Choly Gaston was killed in a horrific aerial collision directly over Fernando Air Base, unfolding in full view of the station. It was a four-ship aerobatic demonstration consisting entirely of seasoned Instructor Pilots. Gaston was flying solo as Number Four in the formation. As the trail formation entered a low-hanging cloud layer, Gaston pulled up, inadvertently colliding with Number Three, an aircraft crewed by Lieutenants Antonio Del Rosario and Lorenzo Cepeda. The crew of No 3 bailed out. Gaston was trapped and went down with his plane.

The tragedy left a deep, permanent ache in the heart of his bunkmate. Years later, when Rizalino welcomed another son into the family, he chose a name that would ensure the memory of that brilliant, daring aviator would never fade from the family narrative. He named the boy Choly Abilla Cabanban .

By: Sir Butch Cabanban (Dodo Brat/Air Force Brat)

The late Choly Gaston as an aviation cadet posing with his T-6 "Columbine". And 2LT Rizalino Cabanban posing with his T-6 Texan as an Instructor pilot.

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30/05/2026

THE TROJAN BROTHERHOOD

In the rugged deployment areas of Mindanao during the late 1970s, life in the camps of the Advance Command Post (ACP) of the 15th Strike Wing was far from comfortable. The days were long, the nights uncertain, and every sunrise carried the possibility of combat. Yet amid the heat, mud, exhaustion, and danger, a bond was forged among the men of the mighty AT-28 Trojan force, a bond that time could never erase.

They called it the TROJAN Brotherhood.

For many outsiders, the stories of the brotherhood were often remembered through tales of laughter in the ACP, bottles shared after missions, guitars echoing through the night, and the endless stories exchanged between airmen who had stared death in the face together. But for those who truly lived it, the Trojan Brotherhood meant something far deeper.

It was family.

Before dawn, while the rest of the camp still slept, the aircraft mechanics were already awake beneath the dim yellow lights of the flight line. With grease-stained hands and tired eyes, they inspected every inch of the dependable AT-28 Trojan attack aircraft. They knew that a single overlooked bolt or mechanical failure could cost a pilot his life. Every engine start was personal to them. Every aircraft that returned safely was its own victory, too.

Beside them worked the ground armament specialists, silent professionals whose hands loaded rockets, machine gun ammunition, and bombs onto the waiting attack aircraft. They worked carefully and methodically, fully aware that the firepower they prepared would soon support Philippine Army soldiers and Philippine Navy Marines fighting for survival in the jungles, beachheads and marshlands of Mindanao. They carried no glory, no headlines, and rarely any recognition, yet they stood as essential guardians of every mission.

Then came the pilots.

Young, fearless, and driven by duty to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and to the Filipino people, these attack pilots of the Philippine Air Force walked toward their Trojans carrying maps, helmets, and the weight of responsibility. Some were barely in their twenties, but the war demanded maturity beyond their years. As they climbed into their cockpits and the engines roared to life, every man on the ground watched with silent prayers.

Because in those years, not every aircraft came home.

Combat missions were dangerous and relentless. The Trojans flew low and hard over hostile territory, delivering close air support for soldiers on the ground, escorting helicopter assault operations, and striking enemy positions hidden deep within the forests and swamps. The enemy fire was real. Mechanical failures were real. Fear was real.

But so was courage.

The men of the Trojan force understood something unique about military brotherhood: rank mattered less when survival depended on trust. Officers and enlisted men ate together, laughed together, suffered together, and mourned together. In deployment areas far from home, they became each other’s brothers.

When a pilot returned safely from a difficult strike mission, the mechanics who maintained his aircraft felt pride as if they themselves had flown into battle. When a mechanic worked sleepless nights repairing a damaged Trojan, the pilots respected him not as a support crewman, but as a fellow warrior. When casualties came, and they sometimes did the entire unit grieved as one family.

This was the spirit that defined the Trojan Brotherhood.

It was built not on parties or drinking sessions, but on loyalty tested under fire. It was the bond formed by men who shared danger, sacrifice, hardship, and service to the Filipino people. It was a brotherhood born in the roar of radial engines, the smell of aviation fuel, and the silent prayers whispered before combat sorties.

Even decades later, the surviving veterans of the 15th Strike Wing still carry that spirit in their hearts. Their hair may have turned gray, and their uniforms may now rest quietly in old cabinets, but the memories remain alive, memories of comradeship, patriotism, and duty to the country.

They belonged to a generation of Filipino airmen who answered the call during one of the most difficult chapters in our nation’s history. They flew not for fame, but for the mission. They served not for recognition, but for the country.

And in the hearts of those who wore the Trojan patch, one truth remains eternal:

Once a Trojan, always a brother.

“Proud to be a part of this prestigious unit that I served for almost 36 long years.”

- Msgt Nonelon Delos Reyes PAF (Ret)

“Halos 7 years lang ako diyan (15th Strike Wing). Ang dami kong karanasan na hindi ko malilimutan habang ako ay nabubuhay.”

- Msgt. Raymundo Cauntay PAF (Ret)

“Once a 15th Strike Wing member, you will always be remembered... Mabuhay 15th Strike Wing! I’m so proud to be one of them. Salamat.”

- Msgt. Samson Lamparero PAF (Ret)

“1977 hanggang mag-retire ako noong 1998, iba pag sinabi mong 15th STRIKE WING ka galing, may tunay na samahan.“

- Msgt Alfredo Albareda PAF (Ret)

Those who believe in the Trojan Brotherhood would argue that it is the mutual understanding and support that they get from their brothers that empowers them to work together.

The life of our Trojan attack pilots and the ground crew during deployment is something a Trojan always cherishes and remembers.

15th Strike Wing AT-28 Trojan attacked pilots with the Trojan ground crew aircraft specialists of the 16th Attack Squadron after a successful airstrike mission in Jolo (1976-1979) against the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), a political organization in the Philippines that was founded in 1972. It started as a splinter group of the Muslim Independence Movement.

This photo was taken at the 15th Strike Wing Advance Command Post (ACP) in Edwin Andrews Air Base, Zamboanga (RPMZ).

The AT-28D “Eagle” attack pilots from left to right were then:

LT COLONEL Andres R. Samson PAF
Philippine Air Force Flying School Class 1963
Flight Lead/15th SW ACP Commander

Sir Sammy’63 (Lt Col. Andres R. Samson) was one of the first five Philippine Air Force pilots who were trained and checked out by Captain Hamilton, USAF, as AT-28 Trojan instructor pilots. Sir Sammy flew all the variants of the PAF AT-28 Trojan. The AT-28 B, C, and D variants were flown extensively in the Philippines for close air support, primarily in ground attack.

1LT Mario T. Aldeguer Jr. PAF
Philippine Air Force Flying School Class 1974

The tall, foreign-looking (LT Mario "Chito' Aldeguer) attack pilot from Negros was often mistaken by some Kabiteños as one of the remaining U.S. GI Joes still stationed at Sangley Point in Cavite City, during the 70s.

1LT Ben T. Maturan PAF +
Philippine Air Force Flying School Class 1973

1LT Manuel I. Soriano PAF
Philippine Air Force Flying School Class 1973

1LT Beato R. Relato Jr. PAF
Philippine Air Force Flying School Class 1973

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26/05/2026

PAF Strengthens Airlift Power with 3 Brand-New C-130J-30 Super Hercules before 2027 ends

For decades, the Lockheed Hercules has been the backbone of Philippine military airlift operations, hauling troops into combat zones, delivering humanitarian assistance during disasters, and sustaining operations across the vast Philippine archipelago. Today, that legacy enters a bold new chapter.

Under the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and through the leadership of Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., the Armed Forces of the Philippines is set to receive three (3) brand-new Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft, a historic acquisition that will significantly enhance the country’s strategic and tactical airlift capability.

The Department of National Defense originally planned to acquire five (5) C-130J aircraft under a modernization program approved in May 2020. The proposed acquisition included three stretched C-130J-30 variants and two standard C-130J aircraft with a projected cost of Php 37 billion under a multi-year procurement program. However, the project did not materialize during the previous administration.

The long-delayed modernization effort was revived under the current administration after the DND reviewed and approved the pending procurement program in 2023. Eventually, Lockheed Martin secured the contract for three C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft worth approximately Php 22.2 billion or around USD 391 million.

For the Philippine Air Force, this is more than just an aircraft acquisition... it is the rebirth of long-range tactical air mobility.

A selected group of pilots, engineers, and mechanics from the 220th Airlift Wing of the Philippine Air Force completed specialized training in Marietta, Georgia, USA, where they earned instructor qualifications for the advanced C-130J-30 Super Hercules platform. These aviators from the legendary 220th Airlift Wing now stand ready to usher the Air Mobility Command, Philippine Air Force into the next generation of tactical airlift operations.

The Hercules has long served as the Armed Forces of the Philippines primary tactical airlift aircraft. Designed to operate from rough dirt strips, austere runways, and remote forward operating bases, the aircraft has proven indispensable in transporting troops, military equipment, relief goods, and humanitarian aid throughout the country.

But the new Super Hercules brings far more capability.

The C-130J-30 Super Hercules is a comprehensive modernization of the classic Hercules platform, equipped with advanced Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop engines, modern digital avionics, upgraded flight systems, improved fuel efficiency, and enhanced payload capacity. Faster, more reliable, and more capable than previous variants, the Super Hercules is regarded worldwide as one of the most versatile military transport aircraft ever built.

This aircraft is not experimental. It is not a showcase machine... It is a battle-tested workhorse flown in every environment imaginable, from the highest landing strips in the world to disaster-stricken runways devastated by typhoons, earthquakes, and armed conflict. The Super Hercules goes where other airlifters cannot, will not, or do not go.

Historically, the last time the Philippine government procured a fleet of brand-new C-130 aircraft was during the 1970s under former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. More than half a century later, the Philippines once again welcomes factory-fresh Hercules aircraft into its inventory.

The 222nd Airlift Squadron of the 220th Airlift Wing will be operating eight (8) C-130 Hercules and Super Juliet's before the end of 2027.

• C-130B with tail number 3633
(Grounded/Project Aircraft)

• C-130H with tail number 4704
• C-130H with tail number 5157

• C-130T with tail number 5040
• C-130T with tail number 5011

• C-130J-30 Super Hercules 6014
• C-130J-30 Super Hercules 6015
• C-130J-30 Super Hercules 6016

With the arrival of the three new Super Hercules aircraft, the squadron will effectively operate seven active Hercules platforms, while C-130B #3633 will serve as a project and maintenance aircraft.

This growing fleet dramatically expands the Philippine Air Force’s ability to support nationwide military operations, humanitarian missions, disaster response, and strategic mobility operations across the archipelago.

The Department of National Defense, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and various government agencies, particularly the Department of Social Welfare and Development, heavily depend on the Air Force during emergencies and national crises. Whether delivering relief supplies after typhoons, evacuating civilians during disasters, or transporting troops and equipment into conflict zones, the Hercules remains one of the nation’s most trusted aerial lifelines.

With the arrival of the C-130J-30 Super Hercules, the Philippines strengthens not only its military capability but also its readiness to answer the call when disaster strikes.

And once again, the thunder of the Hercules echoes proudly across Philippine skies.

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