Lockheed Martin delivered the first of four C-130Js to the Royal Norwegian Air Force at a ceremony today with U.S. and Norwegian officials at the company's Marietta, Ga, facility.

"As the first C-130J order under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, the Norway contract marks an important milestone for sales of the C-130J internationally," said Ross Reynolds, vice president of C-130 programs for Lockheed Martin. "Norway joins the growing list of countries that are realizing the flexibility of the Super Hercules and the benefits it brings to a nation's overall airlift capability. With the arrival of its new C-130J aircraft, the Royal Norwegian Air Force will have one of the most advanced cargo fleets in the world."

Other nations that are operating or have ordered the C-130J include Australia, Canada, Denmark, India, Italy, Qatar, the United Kingdom and the United States. A second ceremony will occur in Norway when the aircraft flies there at the end of the month.

The Norwegian Super Hercules are the longer fuselage, or "stretched," variant of the C-130J similar to those being delivered to the U.S. Air Force. Future C-130J deliveries to Norway will include one in 2009 and two in 2010.

"C-130Js provide greater availability, flexibility and reliability than other airlifters," said Reynolds. "Currently they are deployed in two combat theaters and are operating at a very high tempo, efficiently and reliably." In non-combat environments, the C-130Js are used in humanitarian relief efforts such as those following Hurricane Katrina, Thailand's tsunami and Myanmar's typhoon. The worldwide fleet of C-130Js has flown nearly half a million flight hours, with some C-130J operators flying as much as 1,000 hours per month.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2007 sales of $41.9 billion.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company