Canada's first of 17 next-generation C-130J tactical transports has emerged from the paintshop at Lockheed Martin's Marietta manufacturing site in Georgia.
Ottawa signed a $1.4 billion deal in January 2008 for its new fleet of C-130Js, all of which will be produced in the stretched-fuselage -30 configuration.
The type will be used to replace part of the Canadian armed forces' inventory of 22 legacy C-130E/Hs. Five KC-130H tankers are also in operational use, according to Flightglobal's MiliCAS database.
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"Canada's new fleet of C-130Js will fly farther, faster, with more payload and much higher reliability [than its current Hercules]", says Lockheed. Deliveries of the new aircraft will start later this year, and be completed during 2012, it adds.
The introduction of the new C-130J fleet follows Canada's earlier acquisition of four C-17 strategic transports from Boeing for around $870 million. Delivered in 2007 and 2008, the larger type is being used to support disaster relief efforts launched following the major earthquake that hit the Caribbean island of Haiti.
Source: Flight International
