The second brand-new HC-130J combat rescue aircraft destined for service with the 347th Rescue Group at Moody AFB, Ga., last week touched down at the base, announced the company. A Moody crew on Aug, 14 ferried this factory-fresh HC-130J from Lockheed Martin’s assembly facility in Marietta, Ga., to the south Georgia installation, states the company’s release. Overall, the 374th RQG is slated to receive nine HC-130Js over the next five years, according to Moody officials. The group’s first HC-130J arrived one month ago. The Air Force plans to procure 37 HC-130Js to replace its legacy HC-130P/Ns. The service’s first combat-ready HC-130J arrived at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., in November.
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.