At ceremonies today in Abilene, Texas, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz delivered the first of 28 Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules airlifters to the 317th Airlift Group at Dyess Air Force Base. Schwartz flew the C-130J to Dyess from Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas.

In delivering the first aircraft, the Air Force's top uniformed officer said the C-130 has been flying in the skies over Abilene for almost 50 years, noting that the "latest version of the backbone of our tactical airlift capability will continue the great legacy built by generations of aviators."

"The delivery of this C-130J and others like it is a step toward modernizing our airlift inventories," General Schwartz said. "We'll continue to make progress in this area over the next few years."

The new aircraft will replace the existing Dyess fleet of 33 aging C-130s flown by the 317th Airlift Group. The C-130J Super Hercules fleet will be delivered over the next two years with final delivery in 2012.

"This is certainly yet another proud day for the C-130J program," said Ross Reynolds, Lockheed Martin vice president for C-130 programs. "We are seeing more and more that when the time comes to replace aging C-130 fleets, or establish new fleets, the choice is made to acquire the Super Hercules. There is no other airlifter that has the capability, flexibility and proven track record of the C-130J. From airlift recapitalization in the U.S., to the growing list of countries selecting the C-130J, this aircraft has the capability to meet whatever operational challenges the future holds."

Other nations which are operating, or have ordered, the C-130J include Australia, Canada, Denmark, India, Iraq, Italy, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Tunisia and the United Kingdom. Most recently Israel signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the U.S. Government to acquire the C-130J.

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 2009 sales of $45.2 billion.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company