During a conference held at the Atlantic Council, the head of the US Southern Command, General Laura Richardson, stated that the Ecuadorian Air Force will soon receive a Hercules C-130 transport aircraft to bolster its transportation capabilities.
Regarding the state of emergency declared in the country following an escalation of violence between the government and criminal organizations linked to drug trafficking, General Richardson noted that the United States has “stepped up” its operations and activities there, confirming the donation of a C-130, which will be delivered soon.
In terms of support provided to Ecuador, she affirmed, “As they face these difficult security and instability challenges, we have to continue with our economic investment.” It is worth noting that within the framework of the new alignment adopted by the presidency of Daniel Noboa, General Richardson had previously stated to Ecuadorian media that investments aimed at strengthening security and defense capabilities amounted to USD 93.4 million, to be disbursed over five years.
The Ecuadorian Air Force has operated 3 C-130H, 4 C-130B, and one L-100-30 Hercules for over 40 years, assigned to the 11th Transport Wing of the Cotopaxi Air Base. In recent years, only the L-100-30 with registration FAE 893 has been in service, so the new addition, although the specific version of the Hercules provided has not been disclosed, will increase the number of aircraft in service.
You may also like: Ecuadorian Army Fennec helicopter sustains gunshot damage during patrol flight
