On 24 February, Philippine Air Force aircraft from the rebel 15th Strike Wing requested permission to land. Their original intent had been to land, refuel and rearm, but the U.S. policy of strict neutrality forbade this. Instead, Washington allowed any aircraft declaring an "emergency" to land for "humanitarian" reasons. By the time the revolution ended, Clark had become "safe haven" for a large segment of the PAF: six T-28s, five T-33s, seven F-8s, two F-47s, two C-130s, one MD-500, and two Twin Otters. The presence of these aircraft caused another problem: if the loyalist forces realized they were present, they might have tried to destroy them from the air or in a ground attack. No such threat materialized but, USAF forces at Kadena Air Base and United States Navy aircraft were ready to support Clark if it became necessary.