Air Force Special Operations Command on Aug. 11 received another new MC-130J Commando II. The aircraft arrived at Hurlburt Field, Fla., from the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta, Ga, according to Lockheed. The aircraft are used for low-level aerial refueling, and infiltration, resupply, and exfiltration of special operations forces. The company in January received a multi-year, $5.3 billion contract for 79 aircraft, including variants for the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
U.S. Air Force F-35s and F-22s regularly deploy deep into the Pacific region from Alaska, Utah, and Hawaii. In the future, though, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command would like to see the Air Force permanently station fifth-generation aircraft west of the international date line—closer to China.