Marietta’s Spring Fledglings

Lockheed Martin recently delivered two new-build Air Force C-130J variants in addition to a single HC-130J for the US Coast Guard, the company announced. An Air Force Special Operations Command crew ferried an MC-130J Commando II from the company’s Marietta, Ga., facility to the 353rd Special Operations Group at Kadena AB, Japan, March 19. The Kadena unit began transitioning from the legacy MC-130P Combat Shadow as part of AFSOC’s overall C-130 recap with the arrival of its first MC-130J last December. The second aircraft—an HC-130J Combat King II rescue tanker—made the short hop to the 347th Rescue Group at Moody AFB, Ga., March 24, according to the company. The Coast Guard HC-130J was transferred from Marietta to the company’s conversion facility at Greenville, S.C., for mission specific equipment, modifications, and paint before final delivery to the USCG next year.