Lockheed Martin rullar ut första KC-130J för Tyskland

The first KC-130J Hercules tanker-transport aircraft for Germany was rolled out of Lockheed Martin's Marietta production facility in Georgia on 26 January. (Lockheed Martin)

The first Lockheed Martin KC-130J tanker-transport aircraft for Germany was rolled out of the company's Marietta production facility in Georgia on 26 January.

The Luftwaffe has to date received two ‘stretched' C-130J-30 airlifters that it operates with the French Air and Space Force (Armee de l'Air et de l'Espace: AAE) as part of the joint C-130 air-transport squadron.

With the Luftwaffe contributing three KC-130J and three C-130J-30 aircraft, the AAE is providing two KC-130Js and two C-130J-30s for a combined fleet of five KC-130Js and five C-130J-30s. France has received all of its aircraft, while Germany's deliveries are due to be complete by the end of 2024.

C-130 lufttransportskvadronen vid Évreux-Fauville Air Base i norra Frankrike kommer att ha obegränsat utbyte av flygplan, flygbesättningar och underhållare, såväl som tekniskt och logistiskt stöd baserat på en gemensam reservdelspool och ett gemensamt servicesupportavtal . "Tio flygplan, två nationer, en förening – det har aldrig funnits något liknande i Europa", har Bundeswehr tidigare sagt.