Air Force Special Operations Command this month received its newest MC-130J Commando II aircraft, part of an ongoing multi-billion dollar contract to deliver 78 total C-130J variants. An Air Force crew on May 12 ferried the new Commando II from the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta, Ga., to its ?new base at Hurlburt Field, Fla. Lockheed also delivered a new HC-130J to the US Coast Guard, the company announced. Lockheed in January was awarded a multi-year $5.3 billion contract to deliver 30 MC-130Js, 13 HC-130J Combat King IIs, and 29 extended-range C-130J-30 Super Hercs, along with six Marine Corps KC-130Js and five HC-130Js for the Coast Guard. MC-130Js are used for combat transport and tanker operations to support special operations.
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.