Lockheed Martin Delivers Last Of Four Airlifters

Lockheed Martin completed deliveries of the four C130Js ordered by the Royal Norwegian Air Force at a ceremony here today with U.S. and Norwegian officials.

 
File Photo

The company received a contract from the U.S. government in November 2007 for the purchase of four C-130J Super Hercules airlifters, plus initial spares and training, through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The first airplane was delivered in November 2008 and its second in April 2009.

"As the first C-130J FMS order, the Norway contract was an important milestone for sales of the C-130J around the world," said Julie Whitehead, director, Norway C-130J program for Lockheed Martin. "Two years ago, Norway joined the ever-growing list of countries that realize the flexibility of the Super Hercules and the benefits it brings to a nation's overall airlift capability. With today's acceptance of two more aircraft, the Royal Norwegian Air Force is among those countries with the most advanced cargo fleets in the world."

Norway's C-130Js are much more operationally efficient than the 1968-vintage C-130Hs the nation had been operating. The C-130J can fly farther, faster, with more payload and higher reliability. The new fleet enables Norway to fully meet its national airlift mission requirements and those missions in support of international organizations like the U.N. and NATO.

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