DefenceTalkAfter more than a year of modification maintenance, the newly created AC-130J Ghostrider took to the sky for the first time as a gunship here Jan. 31. In early January 2013, the Air Force Special Operations Command MC-130J Commando II arrived here to begin the modification process with the goal of creating a “best of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/new-ac-130j-completes-first-test-flight-50678/

DefenceTalkAll good things don’t necessarily need to come to an end; sometimes they are just replaced by something even better. Such is the case with the venerable C-130H Hercules model aircraft here. The C-130 has been around since the Vietnam War, forming the backbone of the Air Force’s tactical airlift fleet. It is especially well-suited […]https://www.defencetalk.com/c-130h-end-of-an-era-in-afghanistan-50095/

DefenceTalkThe United States Coast Guard (USCG) will acquire 14 Alenia Aermacchi C-27Js as part of an intra-service transfer from the United States Air Force (USAF). The transfer was approved on December 19 through the Congressional passage of the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act and formally signed into law by President Obama on December 26. The […]https://www.defencetalk.com/14-alenia-aermacchi-c-27js-transferred-to-u-s-coast-guard-50032/

DefenceTalkAirbus Military has signed a contract with Kazspecexport, a State Company belonging to the Ministry of Defence of Kazakhstan, to supply two C295 military transport aircraft plus the related service support package for spare parts and ground support equipment. This order is implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed in 2012 between […]https://www.defencetalk.com/additional-airbus-military-c295-aircraft-for-kazakhstan-49463/

DefenceTalkLockheed Martin has entered into an agreement — known as an Undefinitized Contract Action — with the U.S. Government for the Foreign Military Sale of the first two of 25 potential C-130J Super Hercules airlifters for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Specifically, this contract action is for the purchase of two KC-130J refueling tankers. “Here […]https://www.defencetalk.com/saudi-arabia-orders-2-kc-130j-refueling-tankers-49448/

DefenceTalkAfter years of delays and huge cost over-runs, Airbus on Monday delivers its first A400M military transport plane, handing over the huge turboprop to France at its Spanish assembly plant. The pan-European aircraft maker expects the ceremony at the Airbus Military plant in Seville, southern Spain, to be the start of sales to military forces […]https://www.defencetalk.com/airbus-delivers-first-a400m-military-transport-plane-49274/

DefenceTalkSupport and maintenance of global C-17 fleet continues through Boeing’s Globemaster III Integrated Sustainment Program Production continues at 10 C-17s per year for 22 additional new aircraft Boeing’s 2013 financial guidance unchanged Boeing will complete production of the C-17 Globemaster III and close the C-17 final assembly facility in Long Beach, Calif. in 2015. “Ending […]https://www.defencetalk.com/boeing-to-complete-production-of-c-17-globemaster-iii-in-2015-49116/

DefenceTalkThe third Boeing C-17 Globemaster III airlifter for the Indian Air Force (IAF) departed for India Aug. 20 from the company’s Long Beach facility. It joins the first and second India C-17 airlifters, which arrived in June and July, respectively. Boeing is on track to deliver two more C-17s to the IAF this year and […]https://www.defencetalk.com/boeing-delivers-indian-air-forces-3rd-c-17-globemaster-iii-48851/

DefenceTalkToday the Airbus Military A400M new generation airlifter has received its Type Acceptance at the contractual Initial Operating Clearance (IOC) Standard from OCCAR, the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation, on behalf of the Launch Nations (Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom). It represents a historic milestone of the A400M programme after […]https://www.defencetalk.com/airbus-military-a400m-achieves-first-military-standard-acceptance-48640/

DefenceTalkToday in Perth, Indonesian Defence Minister Purnomo and I witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Sale between Australia and Indonesia for five C 130H aircraft and associated equipment. During my visit to Jakarta in April this year, I confirmed that the Australian Government was willing to sell five C-130H aircraft, along with a simulator […]https://www.defencetalk.com/australia-and-indonesia-sign-memorandum-of-sale-for-c-130h-hercules-48611/