MANILA (UPDATE) — The Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Monday received one of three new C-295 medium lift airplanes.

In a statement, the PAF said that the new plane arrived at the Clark Air Base in Mabalacat, Pampanga in the afternoon.

The new military plane was welcomed through a traditional water blessing.

The PAF said it had acquired three new C-295 aircraft under the Medium Lift Aircraft Acquisition Project.

The said planes were bought from the Airbus Defense and Space company in Spain.

“The 220th Airlift Wing of the Air Mobility Command will operate these aircraft which will be utilized to transport troops and equipment to various parts of the country,” the PAF said.

The plane is part of a P5.28-billion deal signed by the defense department with the Airbus Defense and Space in 2019 under the ongoing modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

PAF spokesperson Col. Maynard Mariano said the two other C-195 planes are due for delivery this year also.

He said the Air Force currently has four C-295s in its inventory.

The additional C-295 aircraft will further ease the burden on the C-130 heavy-lift aircraft in the inventory of the Air Force, he said. The Air Force currently has two operational C-130s while others are undergoing maintenance.

"This will ease a lot of burden on our other transport platforms. This (acquisition of the C-295s) is really the main purpose for all of these things," the Air Force spokesman said.

Mariano said C-295s, which are ideal in landing and takeoff in short airfields, are used in the transport of troops and equipment, and in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, among other missions.

"We've been relying on our existing C-295s during the (COVID-19) pandemic and during our relief efforts in connection with the recent typhoon Odette," he said.

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