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.
The Space Force relies entirely on data—but it lacks the systems and tools to analyze and share that data properly even within the service, let alone with international partners, officials said May 1.