Lockheed
Martin issued an artist’s rendering of its new C-130XJ transport concept. The company is marketing the new variant as a lower cost option to nations that might not be able to afford a full-up C-130J like those in the Air Force’s inventory, or that do not have the same intense mission demands for an airlifter. The C-130XJ features the operational capabilities of the baseline C-130J, such as the same powerplants, company officials have said. Among the differences, it would utilize the legacy cargo-handling system used on older C-130 models in place of the C-130J’s fully automated cargo-handling system and underfloor winch, they have said.
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.