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World Aviation Defense & Security Industry News - Lockheed Martin
 
 
USAF received two more MC-130J Commando II aircraft
 
The United States Air Force has recently received two more MC-130J Commando II aircraft from Lockheed Martin. The aircraft will replace the older MC-130E/P Combat Talon. Of the two aircraft one will be operated from the Kadena Air Base in Japan and the other from the RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom.
     
USAF received two more MC 130J Commando II aircraft 640 001USAF received two more MC-130J Commando II aircraft from Lockheed Martin
(Credit: Lockheed Martin/David Key)
     
The Commando II is operated by the Air Force Special Operations Command. It is a special mission platform that is used to fly low-level / low-visibility operations. Its mission is to provide aerial refuelling, airdrop/resupply of special operations forces and infilitration/exfiltration of these forces.

It is expected that the USAFSOC will receive around 69 MC-130Js. This year’s programe budget had been allocated USD271 million for the two aircraft.

Each aircraft is powered by four Rolls-Royce AE2100D3 Turboprop engines, providing a maximum speed of 362 knots at 22,000 feet. Their range is 3,000 miles.

The MC-130J feature an advanced two-pilot flight station with fully integrated digital avionics, 13 color multifunctional liquid crystal displays, head-up displays, moving maps display, a color radar, fully integrated navigation systems with dual inertial navigation system and global positioning system.