The Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE) formally incorporated the C-130H Hercules military transport aircraft donated by the United States.
The military ceremony for the official delivery of the C-130H Hercules aircraft, valued at US$12 million, was held at the Cotopaxi Air Base (city of Latacunga) as part of the bilateral cooperation between Ecuador and the United States.
Latacunga | En la Base Aérea Cotopaxi se desarrolló la ceremonia militar de entrega oficial de la aeronave C-130 Hércules, como parte de la cooperación bilateral entre Ecuador y Estados Unidos. pic.twitter.com/G3RL81yCzK
— Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana (@FuerzaAereaEc) March 25, 2024
The delivery was made by Mr. Michael J. Fitzpatrick, U.S. Ambassador to the President of the Republic of Ecuador, Mr. Daniel Noboa Azin, who was accompanied by the High Command of the Ecuadorian Armed Forces.
«The arrival of the Hercules in Latacunga is another tangible testament to the enduring solidarity between the United States and Ecuador. This aircraft, delivered by the United States free of charge to the people of Ecuador, symbolizes our commitment to strengthen the capabilities of the Ecuadorian Armed Forces and to support the safety and security of every citizen,» Fitzpatrick said during the ceremony.
According to local press information, the new aircraft was incorporated to the FAE’s Transport Wing 11, which will have two operational aircrafts once the L-100 (registration FAE-893) which is currently out of service, is reactivated with the assistance offered by the US.
The new Ecuadorian Hercules, which received the FAE 898 registration, was manufactured in 1974 and served from 1976 in the USAF until it was transferred to the Afghan Air Force. But after the fall of Kabul, the aircraft returned to the U.S., where it was decided that it would be transferred to Ecuador. However, various circumstances prevented the aircraft from being received until now.
