HILO, Hawaii - The Hawaii National Guard began an aviation engagement with its Philippine partners July 31 when a Hickam-based C-17 Globemaster III carrying a Black Hawk helicopter departed Hilo for Clark Air Base, Philippines, through the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program.
The departure of the C-17, operated by Airmen of the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 204th Airlift Squadron, marked the first overseas deployment of a Hawaii Army National Guard Black Hawk for bilateral aviation training with the Philippine Air Force. The State Partnership Program brought together Hawaii Army National Guard Soldiers, Hawaii Air National Guard Airmen and members of the Philippine Air Force’s 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing to plan, maintain and fly together.
Three years earlier, aviation professionals from Hawaii and the Philippine Air Force recognized they operated variants of the same aircraft. The Hawaii Army National Guard flew the UH-60M Black Hawk, while the Philippine Air Force operated the S-70i, an internationally produced variant of the Black Hawk. Their similar designs and operating concepts provided a common foundation for years of aviation exchanges that eventually made this deployment possible.
Rather than limiting exchanges to classroom instruction and familiarization visits, both organizations envisioned pilots, crew chiefs and maintainers planning, troubleshooting and flying together. Turning that vision into reality required patience, persistence and sustained commitment.
“Three years ago, this mission existed only as an idea,” said Maj. John Worthington, officer in charge of Task Force Lapu-Lapu. “Today, we’re watching that idea become reality because people across both organizations stayed committed to the same goal. Every exchange, every planning conference and every professional relationship helped bring us to this point. This mission has never been about moving a helicopter. It’s about creating opportunities to operate together in ways that make both organizations stronger.”
For Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, the operation demonstrated what years of deliberate investment between partner forces can achieve.
“This operation is a proof of concept that culminates years of collaborative training between the Philippine Air Force and Hawaii Army National Guard Aviation,” Logan said. “Through multiple integrated flights, we’re demonstrating the kind of interoperability allies and partners will depend on during future operations across the Indo-Pacific.”
U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Christopher Pacheco helped guide the Black Hawk into the cargo compartment as loadmasters called directions and ground guides communicated through deliberate hand signals. Years earlier, Pacheco had stood beside members of the Philippine Air Force during one of the first aviation subject matter expert exchanges between the two organizations.
“When we first began working with the Philippine Air Force, none of us imagined we'd one day be loading one of our own Black Hawks onto a C-17 to deploy and fly alongside our partners,” Pacheco said. “This mission represents much more than transporting an aircraft. It's the result of years spent earning professional trust by training together.”
As Pacheco guided the Black Hawk into the aircraft, members of the 204th Airlift Squadron focused on a different challenge. Transporting a combat-ready helicopter across the Pacific required more than loading cargo. Every pallet, restraint, weight calculation and tie-down had been planned and verified well before the C-17 arrived in Hilo.
From the initial site survey through final execution, Master Sgt. Eric Dignam helped shape the movement alongside Hawaii National Guard planners, ensuring the aircraft, personnel and equipment could be transported safely and arrive ready for training.
“People see a C-17 loaded with cargo, but they don’t always see the planning and commitment behind every pallet, every tie-down and every decision we make,” Dignam said. “Transporting the Black Hawk across the Pacific required making sure every detail was right so our partners could train together safely. Being part of the first aviation engagement of its kind between Hawaiʻi and the Philippines is something I’ll always be proud of.”
When the cargo ramp lowered at Clark Air Base, the Hawaii National Guard crew methodically guided the Black Hawk down the ramp with the same precision used to load it in Hilo.
Lt. Col. John Delgado, chief standard evaluation officer of the Philippine Air Force’s 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing, said the arrival marked the next chapter in the partnership.
“This partnership has been built over years of mutual respect, professional trust and a shared commitment to regional security,” Delgado said. “What began as subject matter expert exchanges has grown into meaningful operational cooperation that has been essential to developing our Black Hawk capability. As a relatively new operator, we’ve benefited tremendously from the Hawaii Army National Guard's experience. Their support has helped us validate our procedures, refine our planning and safely build the capabilities needed to employ our Black Hawk fleet. More importantly, it has given us a proven path forward while strengthening our ability to respond together to future security challenges, humanitarian emergencies and disaster response operations.”
For Worthington, the deployment confirmed what years of planning had been building toward.
“Success was never measured by whether we could move a Black Hawk to the Philippines,” Worthington said. “That was simply the first step. Success is seeing Soldiers, Airmen and Philippine Air Force personnel planning together, solving problems together and building the kind of professional confidence that only comes from working side by side. Aircraft give us a reason to come together. What we build around them is what really matters.”