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Lockheed Martin rolled out the first C-130J Hercules II, a C-130J-30 for the RAF, in a ceremony on October 18 at Marietta. The first standard fuselage length C-130J for the USAF (the first of an initial two on order) rolled out on October 20. (Lockheed Martin)
Newsdesk – Military Aviation
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F-111 Parts Guaranteed
The RAAF’s fleet of F-111 strike aircraft will not be left short of spare parts when Australia becomes the sole operator of the type in 1998. An agreement between the Australian Government and the USAF has been set up assuring easy access to F-111 spares and in the case of larger and longer life parts, at a very good price of 10% of their inventory value. Some short life parts will be more expensive but this will be more than nullified by the price of the other parts. The result will be no shortage of spares for the RAAF’s F-111s, a good price for them and the type remaining in service well into the next century. The USAF is retiring its last strike F-111Fs in 1996, the EF-111 Ravens are scheduled for retirement in 1998. investment required to put the F-16 into service, although any aircraft subsequently acquired would have to be paid for. If the plan comes to fruition, Poland could have F-16s in service by the end of 1996. The scheme also forms the basis of proposals to Czechoslovakia and Hungary. Portugal is also negotiating with Lockheed Martin over the acquisition of 20 second hand F-16A/Bs (due to budgetary considerations it wants the aircraft for free and only pay for an upgrade programme) while the Royal Jordanian Air Force is scheduled to receive sufficient ex USAF F-16s to equip a single squadron within the next year. Jordan also wants additional F-16s to supplement and partially replace its existing fighter force of Mirage F1s and Northrop F-5s.
C-130j Rolled Out
The first Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules II was rolled out in mid October, just after the first firm order from the USAF was placed and ahead of the possible purchase of up to 70 aircraft by Saudi Arabia. Forty IDFs have been delivered so far of which several have been lost since the aircraft entered service in 1994. The prototype flew in 1989 and the original requirement for 250 was subsequently cut to 130 after a ban on the sale of combat aircraft to Taiwan by the USA and France was dropped.
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