The C-130 Has Been An Important Part Of The Israel Defense Forces For More Than 40 Years

Israel’s first Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules airlifter arrived at Nevatim Air Base this last week. Along with senior Israeli officials, Chairman, President and CEO Marillyn Hewson of Lockheed Martin attended the ceremony and made remarks.

Israel ordered its C-130Js through a Foreign Military Sale contract with the U.S. Government. This is the first ferry of the C-130Js currently on order for the Israeli Air Force (IAF), which has operated legacy C-130s since 1971.

In non-combat, but equally harsh environments, C-130Js are often the first to support humanitarian missions such as search and rescue, aerial firefighting in the U.S., and delivering relief supplies after earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons and tsunamis around the world.

This C-130J Super Hercules was first delivered to the IAF in June 2013 in Marietta, Ga., at the Lockheed Martin facility where it was manufactured. The aircraft remained in the U.S. to receive Israeli-specific, post-production modifications.

At the delivery ceremony, Hewson said, in part, “The C-130 family has played a critical role in the Israeli Air Force for more than four decades. And this C-130J along with the additional aircraft scheduled to join the fleet in the coming years will ensure the continued strength and technological superiority of the IAF in this critical region of the world. We feel privileged to bring you the world’s most advanced technology to meet the complex and dynamic security challenges of this region. And we are proud of our decades-long partnership.”

(Image provided by Lockheed Martin Corporation)

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com