Lockheed Martin has flown the second of three KC-130J tankers ordered for the German air force.

Sporting its Luftwaffe markings and the service registration 55+05, the aircraft made its flight debut from Lockheed’s Marietta final assembly site in Georgia.

Second Luftwaffe KC-130J

Source: Lockheed Martin

Newly-flown KC-130J will join a bilateral German and French airlift squadron

Berlin and Paris are in the process of standing up a Bilateral Air Transport Squadron equipped with C/KC-130Js at Evreux air base in France, with a new training centre to open its doors early next year and full operational capability also due to be declared during 2024.

The nations are to operate a combined total of 10 aircraft: five C-130J transports and five KC-130Js. These will be supported by around 260 personnel, divided equally between the partners.

Cirium fleets data indicates that the French air force has already received its four ordered Super Hercules – two each in the transport and tanker configurations – while Germany has to date taken three airlifters, with the same number of KC-130Js to follow.

European Defence Editor Craig Hoyle has reported on the UK, European and international military aviation sector for almost 30 years, and has also been the Editor of Flight International since 2015. He joined FlightGlobal in 2003, and also compiles our annual World Air Forces directory.View full Profile

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