Air Force operational testers have certified that the service’s new HC-130J Combat King II rescue aircraft and MC-130J Commando II special-mission tanker are “effective, suitable, and mission capable,” announced Lockheed Martin, the airplanes’ manufacturer, on Nov. 1. The certification came in October, according to the company. The Air Force is currently recapitalizing its legacy HC-130s and MC-130s with the new-build Combat King IIs and Commando IIs. These platforms are modified variants of the basic C-130J airframe. Lockheed Martin is currently on contract for 15 HC-130Js and 27 MC 130Js. Overall, the Air Force has plans to procure 37 HC-130Js and 85 MC-130Js. Sixteen of the MC-130Js are slated to undergo post-production conversion to AC-130J gunships. (See also More Special Mission C-130Js Ordered.)
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.