US Air Forces in Europe yesterday celebrated the arrival of its first C-130J transport. The aircraft is the first of 14 that will be delivered to Ramstein AB, Germany, by next year, C-130J manufacturer Lockheed Martin said in a release. They will be part of Ramstein’s 86th Airlift Wing, replacing the aged C-130Es that the wing’s 37th Airlift Squadron has been operating. “USAFE truly does bring a lot to the fight, in particular the vital airlift capability we provide in the global war on terror and vital humanitarian operations the world over,” Gen. Roger Brady, USAFE commander, said during the welcoming ceremony. He added, “The C-130J will give us an even greater capacity to perform all those missions.” Ramstein is scheduled to receive 10 C-130Js this year and the remaining four next year, according to Lockheed.
There is a new entrant in the highly competitive field of collaborative combat aircraft—semi-autonomous drones meant to fly alongside manned combat aircraft. Northrop Grumman unveiled its new Project Talon aircraft to a small group of reporters at the facilities of its subsidiary Scaled Composites.
