First Luftwaffe Super Hercules delivered
On Saturday 19 February 2022, the first Luftwaffe (GAF, German Air Force) Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules arrived at Base Aérienne 105 (BA105) Evreux/Fauville (France) with call sign RCH221. The markings on the aircraft such as the operator, the flag and the well-known cross in the serial were taped off.
The new transporter, serial 55+01 (c/n 382-5930) started its delivery flight at Lockheed Martin's facility at Marietta/Dobbins JARB (GA) on 15 February to Bangor International Airport (ME).
Due to bad weather over the Atlantic the Hercules stayed at Bangor until 18 February. From there it flew to Rota (Spain) and on Saturday 19 February it continued to Evreux/Fauville.
The GAF C-130J-30 is the first of six German aircraft, three C-130J-30s and three KC-130Js, to be delivered to the new Franco-German Super Hercules squadron. The other five are expected to be delivered between now and 2023 in order to achieve full squadron capacity by 2024.
The yet unnamed squadron will operate ten C-130J transport aircraft, four French and six German. The four Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace (AAE, French Air and Space Force) Super Hercules aircraft, two C-130J-30s and two KC-130Js, have already been delivered to the unit, but are still operated by Escadre de Transport 2/61 "Franche-Comté" (ET02.061).
On Thursday 17 September 2020, the German Defence minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and the French Defence minister Florence Parly symbolically laid the foundation stone for the Franco-German Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules squadron.
According to the information, the GAF C-130J-30 will officially be accepted on 22 February 2022. It is not known if the number and name of the new squadron will also be revealed.
Photo by German MoD