The 250th C-130J Super Hercules off Lockheed Martin’s production line lifted off on a ferry flight from Marietta, Ga., to its new home at Dyess AFB, Tex., announced the company. The 317th Airlift Group’s 15th Super Herk arrived on Feb. 16, exactly one week after the 14th C-130J became the first new airframe to join the group’s 39th Airlift Squadron. “Since the J-model was first introduced, it has been the workhorse of airlift worldwide. This milestone is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the C-130 enterprise,” said Lorraine Martin, Lockheed Martin’s vice president for C-130 programs. Dyess’ new bird is the second of 11 total airframes that Lockheed Martin is slated to deliver to the Texas base this year. Upon receiving its 28th and final C-130J in 2013, Dyess will host the world’s largest C-130J force, according to the company.
Pentagon officials overseeing homeland counter-drone strategy told lawmakers that even with preliminary moves to bolster U.S. base defenses, the military still lacks the capability to comprehensively identify, track, and engage hostile drones like those that breached the airspace of Langley Air Force Base in Virginia for 17 days in December…