C-130J to Fly On and On

Lockheed Martin has just rolled the 100th member of the C-130J Super Hercules family off the production line at its manufacturing facility in Marietta (GA). Coming just more than seven years after the inaugural flight of the first new- generation Hercules, the latest milestone aircraft, an HC-130J, is slated for delivery to the U.S. Coast Guard later this spring.

"The 100th J is just the beginning," said Ross Reynolds, Lockheed Martin vice president for the C-130J program. "Around the world the Super Herc is being praised for its performance and capability. I am proud of our employees and subcontractors who have kept this program on track, and I would like to thank our customers who are demonstrating that the future of tactical airlift is now here."

More than 1,500 employees in Marietta and hundreds of suppliers around the world work on the C-130J program, the fifth most -produced version in the Hercules line. The C-130J is the product of the longest, continuous, active military aircraft production line in history, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2004. Coincidently, the 100th Super Hercules is rolled out just months before the world celebrates the 100th anniversary of powered flight.

The C-130J family, which holds 54 aviation world records, is now being flown by the U.S. Air Force, Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Italian Air Force, U.S. Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve Command and U.S. Marine Corps. In addition, C-130Js are being delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard (the 100th C-130J will be the third Coast Guard aircraft) and are on order for the Royal Danish Air Force. Lockheed Martin has orders for 118 C- 130Js and CC-130Js, the stretched-length fuselage version of the Super Hercules, 92 of which have been delivered.

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com; www.af.mil/news/factsheets/C_130_Hercules.html