Officials with the 317th Airlift Group at Dyess AFB, Tex., welcomed the arrival of the unit’s 27th factory-fresh C-130J transport, leaving it one airframe shy of its planned full complement, according to a base release. Brig. Gen. Scott Goodwin, Air Mobility Command’s director of operations, ferried the C-130J, aircraft number 5724, from Lockheed Martin’s manufacturing plant in Marietta, Ga., to Dyess on May 22, states the company’s release. Dyess is slated to receive its final C-130J later this year. At full strength, the Texas base will host the largest Super Hercules force in the world, according to the company. The previous C-130J, Dyess’ 26th Super Hercules, arrived at the base in March. The C-130Js are replacing the group’s C-130H airplanes. (Dyess photo caption by SrA. Jonathan Stefanko)
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.