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

The U.S. Air Force’s 317th Airlift Wing has arrived at Clark Air Base in the Philippines after running maximum-endurance flights that cut transit time and extended range for Exercise Balikatan 2026, according to a service news release. The April 17 movement coincides with the 75th anniversary of the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty and a multination drill involving more than 17,000 personnel from the Philippines, United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, France, and New Zealand.

To reach the archipelago, three C-130J Super Hercules from the 40th Airlift Squadron conducted Maximum Endurance Operations that used rotating aircrews and minimal fuel stops, a tactic the wing says boosts responsiveness across the Indo-Pacific. Operating from Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites, the unit is moving personnel, equipment, and fuel into austere locations, employing externally tanked C-130Js to support 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 wing’s participation also features what officials described as a specialized “lift and strike” partnership with the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess Air Force Base. Recent graduates of the 317th’s Lethal Expeditionary Airman Development course—training aimed at preparing noncommissioned officers for decentralized operations—are integrated into the deployment 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,” Diehl said.

Chief Master Sgt. Martin Castillo, the wing’s command chief, said the focus is on scaling these operations to bolster 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 the long-running bilateral 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.