Lockheed Martin announced Monday that Oman has signed a contract for the purchase of two additional C-130J transports. Oman ordered its first C-130J in July 2009; that airframe is scheduled for delivery in 2012. Lockheed expects to deliver the two additional aircraft in late 2013 and early 2014. “The C-130J is ideally suited to the operating conditions found in Oman and other areas of the Gulf,” said Jim Grant, Lockheed’s vice president for air mobility and special operations forces programs. While Oman’s first C-130J is in the so-called “stretch” or long-fuselage configuration, the two in the follow-on order are the shorter fuselage variant. Oman already operates three C-130Hs purchased in the early 1980s.
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.