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.
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.
