France received its first KC-130J Super Hercules aerial refueling aircraft in a ceremony at Orleans-Bricy Air Base.

The plane, which arrived on Thursday, is the refueling variant of the C-130J, a durable, four-engine plane built since 1960 by Lockheed Martin.

Designed to supply fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft with fuel, it will give France's Caracal helicopters increased flying time and a "capability unique in Europe," the French defense ministry said in a statement on Friday. Missions of up to five hours, compared to current 90-minute missions, will be possible.

France ordered four Super Hercules aircraft from Lockheed in 2015 through a Foreign Military Sale with the U.S. government. Two C-130J-30 cargo versions were delivered in 2017 and 2018, and a second KC-130J refueling plane is expected to be delivered in 2020.

The sale, at an estimated $650 million, includes the four planes, spare engines, AN/ALE 47 electronic counter-measure dispensers, AN/AAR-47A(V)2 missile warning systems, AN/ALR-56M radar warning receivers, embedded Global Positioning/Inertial Navigation systems, and radios.

"This new capacity developed with the KC-130J is important, especially for tactical missions of the Air Force with the Caracal," Col. Stanislas Michel, commander of the Franche-Comte BA 123 transport squadron which received the plane, said in a press release. "We want to be able to implement that capacity in three months, that's the priority."

France and Germany will collaborate on a C-130J training center located in France, beginning in 2021, when Germany is expected to begin receiving its own tanker fleet from Lockheed.

Related Links
Aerospace News at SpaceMart.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Boeing awarded $45M contract for U.S. Navy, Australian P-8A upgrades
Washington (UPI) Sep 12, 2019
The Boeing Company has been awarded more than $45 million for P-8A aircrew training upgrades for the U.S. Navy and government of Australia. The deal, announced Wednesday by the Department of Defense, sees most of the upgrades work for the maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft will be performed in the United States. Forty-five percent of the work will be done in St. Louis, Mo. and 40 percent in Jacksonville, Fla., with 12 percent done in Australia, 2 percent in Whidbey Island, Wash., ... read more