"Black Cats" One Of The Most Decorated Airlift Squadrons Ever

Lockheed Martin delivered last week a third C-130J Super Hercules to the 41st Airlift Squadron at Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas. The 41st, also known as the "Black Cats," is the first active-duty C-130J combat squadron in the Air Force and one of the most highly decorated airlift squadrons in US military history.

Lt. Gen. Donald J. Hoffman, Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition at the Pentagon, accepted the new C-130J on behalf of the "Black Cats."

"The C-130J has performed admirably in theater and is demonstrating its capabilities in the most demanding combat environments," said General Hoffman. "As our aging intra-theater airlift and tanker fleets need replacing, we anticipate that the C-130J will be a competitive contender for those missions."

Lockheed says the C-130J generates much greater operational efficiency than the older C-130s by flying further, faster, with more payload and higher reliability. Additionally, the C-130J only requires three crew members for most missions, so fewer flight crew members are exposed to potential threats in theater.

C-130Js are currently deployed in two combat theaters and are operating at a very high tempo efficiently and reliably. C-130Js are being used daily for troop and equipment re-supply via ground delivery and airdrop, for air-to-air refueling, ground refueling and humanitarian relief. The worldwide fleet of C-130Js has now exceeded 355,000 flight hours.

In the United States, Air Mobility Command, Air Education and Training Command, Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard units fly C-130Js. The Marine Corps operates KC 130J tankers and the Coast Guard flies the HC-130J. International C-130J operators include the Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Italian Air Force and the Royal Danish Air Force.

FMI: www.lmco.com, www.af.mil