FRENCH TO BUY 4 C-130J AIRCRAFT

French Minister of Defence has given the green light to purchase four Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules aircraft.

French to buy four C-130J aircraft

French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has given the go-ahead for the acquisition of four Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules aircraft. France has chosen to add to its fleet the Lockheed Martin aircraft because the Airbus A400 does not currently have the ability to refuel helicopters.

According to US Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Paris had requested two C-130Js and two extended-range KC-130J tankers, a spare set of four Rolls-Royce AE 2100D turboprop engines and mission equipment worth $355 million.

France also intends to arm the C-130 with the Lockheed AGM-114K1A Hellfire air-to-surface missile used aboard its Airbus Tiger attack helicopters.

The purchase of the Hercules has also been crucial to bridge the delays of the A400 program, the delivery times of the Airbus aircraft have increased further due to the May accident in Seville.

Written by Matteo Sanzani