performance of
lockheed martin c-130j Airlifter highlighted in Italian air
force operations in afghanistan
21 November 2003
MARIETTA, GA,
November 20, 2003 – Italian Prime
Minister Silvio Berlusconi recently
presented the Aeronautica Militare
Italiana’s (AMI, the Italian Air
Force) C-130 unit with the Knight’s
Cross of the Military Order of
Italy. The presentation was for the
unit’s highly successful combat
debut with its Lockheed Martin
[NYSE: LMT] C-130J Super Hercules
airlifters during Operation Enduring
Freedom missions in Afghanistan.
“The AMI crews set the tone for
the success with the C-130J in
Afghanistan early on,” said Ross
Reynolds, Lockheed Martin C-130J
Program vice president. “In April
2002, the AMI chose a C-130J to
transport Afghanistan's exiled
leaders back to Kabul. The J was
selected because of its advanced
defensive systems and its ability to
perform in the harsh operating
conditions in Afghanistan.”
Operating from Khowst Air Base
near the Pakistan border southeast
of Kabul, AMI’s 46th Air Brigade
crews flew more than 1,400 hours
during a 12-month period, carrying
1,200 tons of supplies and more than
5,400 passengers. The unit also
carried out three medical evacuation
missions.
More than 70 of those hours came
on night missions with the crew
operating on night vision goggles.
In Afghanistan, the Italian C-130J
crews were the first in the world to
land on semi-prepared, reduced
dimension runways at night. Because
of the need to avoid shoulder-fired
surface-to-air missiles and other
ground threats, and because of the
additional power the C-130J has over
previous models, crews opted to use
an unusual landing technique at
these airfields.
The crews approached the landing
field at altitude, lined up on the
runway and put the aircraft into a
near vertical descent at the end of
the runway. At the last minute, the
pilot then flared out and touched
down. The cargo was unloaded in less
than 30 minutes to minimize exposure
of the aircraft to enemy ground
threats, and then the crew would
take off again, rapidly climbing to
a safe altitude.
During the awards ceremony, held
in Rome, the unit’s newest
decoration was accepted by Brigadier
General Walter Mauloni, the wing
commander. The award citation reads
in part: “Engaged in the far off
skies of Afghanistan, [this unit]
faced many difficulties caused by
complex and dangerous, often
prohibitive, environmental
conditions and operated with
unquestionable capacity and value.
The praiseworthy commitment and the
very high sense of responsibility
shown are clear witness of the
professionalism and courage of all
the members of the 46th Brigata
Aerea whose operations contributed
to the prestige of the Air Force and
of the nation during an
international crisis.”
The AMI has a total of 22 C-130J
transports on order, including 12
C-130Js and 10 longer
fuselage-length C-130J-30 aircraft,
which will be used as aerial
tankers. These are the first
Hercules aircraft to be configured
to both refuel other aircraft in the
air and be refueled themselves.
Seventeen aircraft have been
delivered to the AMI to date.
A total of 179 C-130Js and
C-130J-30s are on order, and 106
have been delivered. In the U.S.,
Air Force Reserve Command and Air
National Guard units fly C-130Js,
C130J30s and two specialized
C-130J variants; the Marine Corps
operates KC-130J tankers; and the
Coast Guard recently received its
first HC-130J aircraft. Other
current international C130J
operators include the Royal Air
Force and Royal Australian Air
Force. The Royal Danish Air Force
will receive its first C-130J-30
next year. The capabilities and
performance of the Super Hercules in
supporting light, fast and lethal
combat operations make it a true
transformational asset.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co.,
a business area of Lockheed Martin,
is a leader in the design,
development, systems integration,
production and support of advanced
military aircraft and related
technologies. Its customers include
the military services of the United
States and allied countries
throughout the world. Products
include the F-16, F/A-22, F-35 JSF,
F-117, T-50, C-5, C-130, C-130J,
P-3, S-3 and U-2.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md.,
Lockheed Martin employs about
125,000 people worldwide and is
principally engaged in the research,
design, development, manufacture and
integration of advanced technology
systems, products and services. The
corporation reported 2002 sales of
$26.6 billion.
# # #
Media Contacts:
Peter Simmons, 770-494-6208; e-mail,
peter.e.simmons@lmco.com
Sam Grizzle,
770-494-3211; e-mail,
sam.c.grizzle@lmco.com
For additional
information, visit our websites:
http://www.lockheedmartin.com
http://www.lmaeronautics.com
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