Lockheed Martin delivered two factory-fresh C-130J transports to the Air Force in October, along with one new-build MC-130J special-mission aircraft, announced the company. On Oct. 29, Maj. Gen. Michael Keltz, Air Education and Training Command’s director of intelligence, operations, and nuclear integration, ferried a new C-130J (serial number 5732) from Lockheed Martin’s production plant in Marietta, Ga., to Little Rock AFB, Ark., states the company’s release from that same day. This airframe joined AETC’s 314th Airlift Wing. Five days earlier, on Oct. 24, another new C-130J (serial number 5734) flew from Marietta to Little Rock, where it will serve with the 61st Airlift Squadron, states a separate release. It is the first of nine C-130Js planned for the squadron, a combat delivery unit, according to the release. Also on Oct. 24, Air Force Special Operations Command received its newest MC-130J special-mission aircraft (serial number 5733), states a third company release. A company spokeswoman said this was the 18th MC-130J delivered to the Air Force.
Boeing received a $2.47 billion Air Force contract Nov. 25 for 15 more KC-46s, bringing to 183 the number of Pegasus tankers on contract to all customers, foreign and domestic. The new contract—for Lot 12 of the initially planned KC-46 buy—is to be completed by 2029.
