317th Airlift Wing conducts MEO, arrives in the Philippines for Balikatan 2026

The 317th Airlift Wing has arrived at Clark Air Base, Philippines, to provide tactical airlift in support of Exercise Balikatan 2026 after completing Maximum Endurance Operations on April 17.

This year’s exercise coincides with the 75th anniversary of the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty and involves more than 17,000 personnel from the Philippines, United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, France, and New Zealand.

To reach the Philippines, three C-130J Super Hercules from the 40th Airlift Squadron employed rotating aircrews and limited fuel stops, cutting transit time and extending the wing’s reach for rapid response across the Indo-Pacific.

Operating from Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites, the wing is moving personnel, equipment, and fuel to austere locations around the region. C-130Js fitted with external fuel tanks are being used for 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,” said Diehl. “Our Airmen have reduced that timeline to less than an hour.”

The exercise also features a specialized “lift and strike” partnership with the 7th Bomb Wing from Dyess Air Force Base. Recent graduates of the 317th AW’s Lethal Expeditionary Airman Development course—a program that prepares noncommissioned officers for decentralized operations in contested environments—are integrated into the effort, enabling Mission-Ready Airmen to support Agile Combat Employment concepts with a smaller 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,” said Diehl. These combined efforts are intended to maintain high levels of readiness to respond to potential crises or contingencies.

Chief Master Sgt. Martin Castillo, the wing’s command chief, said the unit is focused on executing these operations at scale to bolster regional deterrence. “A free and open Indo-Pacific remains the objective,” said Castillo. “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 long-running annual event between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military that aims to reinforce the alliance, enhance combined capabilities, and demonstrate a shared commitment to regional security and stability.