Lockheed Martin delivered two factory-fresh C-130J transports to the Air Force in October, along with one new-build MC-130J special-mission aircraft, announced the company. On Oct. 29, Maj. Gen. Michael Keltz, Air Education and Training Command’s director of intelligence, operations, and nuclear integration, ferried a new C-130J (serial number 5732) from Lockheed Martin’s production plant in Marietta, Ga., to Little Rock AFB, Ark., states the company’s release from that same day. This airframe joined AETC’s 314th Airlift Wing. Five days earlier, on Oct. 24, another new C-130J (serial number 5734) flew from Marietta to Little Rock, where it will serve with the 61st Airlift Squadron, states a separate release. It is the first of nine C-130Js planned for the squadron, a combat delivery unit, according to the release. Also on Oct. 24, Air Force Special Operations Command received its newest MC-130J special-mission aircraft (serial number 5733), states a third company release. A company spokeswoman said this was the 18th MC-130J delivered to the Air Force.
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.