C-130 Prototype Makes First Flight

Aug. 23, 1954

Lockheed pilots Stanley Beltz and Roy Wimmer crew the first flight of the YC-130 Hercules at Burbank, Calif.

Related

Your Program Needs Outcomes, Not Outputs

Oct. 29, 2026
The Department of War is making its acquisition leaders accountable for mission outcomes. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth set the tone in November 2025, when he announced an overhaul of defense acquisition at the National War College. He said contracting officers...

US and Japan Finalize Agreement for AMRAAM Facility

Oct. 28, 2026
At a high-profile meeting of defense ministers in the Philippines this week, U.S. and Japan leaders finalized an agreement to establish a production facility in Japan for the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, following a massive $20.7 billion Pentagon contract to expand production of the missile over the next seven…

Dozens of Former Airmen Are Running in the ’26 Midterms

Oct. 27, 2026
A week from now is Nov. 3, Election Day, capping a long, hectic, contentious campaign season. Across the U.S., millions of voters will head to the polls to elect governors, senators, representatives, and more. More than three dozen congressional candidates on the ballot are Air Force veterans, according to data…

Pentagon to Give Startup Stoke Space $150M Loan for New Launch Pad

Oct. 27, 2026
The Pentagon plans to issue a $150 million loan to Stoke Space Technologies, an emerging space launch provider, to help it expand its footprint at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base, Fla. The Defense Department announced the plan Oct. 26. The loan, managed by DOD’s Office of Strategic Capital, is contingent…

Boeing Bullish on Defense Sector After Fighter Wins, Shunning Fixed-Price Deals

Oct. 27, 2026
Fresh off Boeing’s victory in the competition to build the Navy’s sixth-generation F/A-XX fighter, CEO Kelly Ortberg on Oct. 27 expressed confidence that the darkest days of the company’s beleaguered defense sector are in the past. A year ago, Boeing expected its Defense, Space, and Security division to see revenue…