Airmen Join Exercise Balikatan

CLARK AIR BASE, Philippines (AFNS) --

The 317th Airlift Wing arrived at Clark Air Base, Philippines, to provide critical tactical airlift capabilities following the successful execution of Maximum Endurance Operations, in support of Exercise Balikatan 2026, April 17.

This year's iteration of the longstanding annual exercise coincides with the 75th anniversary of the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty. Designed to strengthen the ironclad alliance and improve combined capabilities, the exercise features more than 17,000 personnel from the Philippines, United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, France, and New Zealand.

To reach the Philippine archipelago, threeC-130J Super Hercules aircraft assigned to the 40th Airlift Squadron conducted MEOs to Clark Air Base. By utilizing rotating aircrews and limited fuel stops, these operations significantly reduced transit time and extended the wing's operational reach, enabling rapid response capabilities across the Indo-Pacific region.

Operating from Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites, the 317th AW is delivering personnel, equipment and fuel to austere locations throughout the region. During the exercise, the wing is employing C-130Js equipped with external fuel tanks to facilitate Specialized Fueling Operations, rapid infiltration and long-range fire support.

"We're going out to the northern Philippines, to fly into these islands with U.S. Marines and Soldiers while offloading fuel," said U.S. Air Force Col. Justin Diehl, 317th AW commander. "Our capabilities ensure the Joint Force, along with our allies and partners, can sustain operations without relying solely on maritime logistics." Diehl further noted the efficiency of these operations, stating, "It used to take days to get fuel to northern islands in the Philippines," Diehl said. "Our Airmen have reduced that timeline to less than an hour."

The exercise also highlights a specialized "lift and strike" partnership with the 7th Bomb Wing fromDyess Air Force Base. Integrated into these operations are recent graduates of the 317th AW's Lethal Expeditionary Airman Development course, a program designed to prepare noncommissioned officers for decentralized operations in contested environments.

This training enables Mission-Ready Airmen to supportAgile Combat Employment concepts with a reduced footprint. "Our Airmen prove that not only can the 317th AW deliver assets to some of the most remote landing zones, but that we can do so with NCOs leading and operating at the highest level," Diehl said. These combined efforts directly support the maintenance of high-level military readiness required to respond to potential crises or contingencies.

Chief Master Sgt. Martin Castillo, 317th AW command chief, emphasized that the wing is focused on executing these operations at scale to strengthen regional deterrence. "A free and open Indo-Pacific remains the objective," Castillo said. "This is the 317th AW's third iteration of Exercise Balikatan, and each iteration increases the speed, precision and confidence our Airmen bring to the mission."

Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen the alliance, improve combined capabilities and demonstrate a shared commitment to regional security and stability.