Air Force Special Operations Command on Aug. 11 received another new MC-130J Commando II. The aircraft arrived at Hurlburt Field, Fla., from the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta, Ga, according to Lockheed. The aircraft are used for low-level aerial refueling, and infiltration, resupply, and exfiltration of special operations forces. The company in January received a multi-year, $5.3 billion contract for 79 aircraft, including variants for the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
The Air Force is launching an effort to develop a new stand-off missile with a range of 1,000 nautical miles, or 1,150 miles, that would eventually be used for both air-to-air and air-to-surface missions.