Lockheed Martin delivered the 14th new-build MC-130J special-mission aircraft to Air Force Special Operations Command. Aircraft 5713 departed the company’s manufacturing plant in Marietta, Ga., on Jan 9 for Cannon AFB, N.M., according to a company release on that same day. Cannon is the beddown site for these new MC-130Js, dubbed Commando IIs, which AFSOC intends to utilize for missions such as refueling of other special-mission platforms in flight, covertly inserting and extracting special forces, and resupplying them. The previous MC-130J arrived at Cannon last month. There are 27 MC-130Js on order thus far for AFSOC.
Earlier this week, the People’s Republic of China confirmed it is halting its nuclear arms control talks with the U.S., in retaliation for the U.S. continuing to sell arms to Taiwan. The move reinforces a “pattern of behavior” from Beijing, experts say.