TSAMTO, January 26. The Algerian Air Force received the first military transport aircraft C-130J-30 "Super Hercules", which arrived in the country from the Lockheed Martin enterprise in Greenville (pcs.South Carolina).
The US Embassy in Algeria announced the delivery of the aircraft on its official Facebook page on January 23.
This is the first official confirmation of the sale of the C-130J to Algeria. As indicated, the contract signed in 2018 with Lockheed Martin provides for the supply of four aircraft and includes an option to purchase four additional Super Hercules. The cost of the contract and the delivery dates of the remaining C-130J have not yet been disclosed.
Thus, the Algerian Air Force, which already has several Hercules aircraft of earlier versions in service, becomes the second operator of the C-130J modification in Africa (after Tunisia).
The new Super Hercules will join eight C-130H, six C-130H-30 and two L-100-30s in service with the 2nd Tactical Transport and Logistics Squadron of the Algerian Air Force, stationed at the Boufarik Air Base. It is assumed that all these aircraft are in flight-usable condition. The Algerian Air Force also operates three IL-76MD and eight Il-76TD aircraft.
As reported by TSAMTO, for the first time, the Mena Defense resource reported that the Algerian Air Force should receive new C-130J in March 2021. In May of the same year, the aviation website Avionslegendaires.net With reference to sources in Lockheed Martin confirmed the sale of four Hercules aircraft to Algeria. According to the website, the first aircraft at that time was already assembled and received an Algerian civil registration. Pilots and technical personnel of the Algerian Air Force were trained in the USA. According to the resource, all aircraft should be delivered by the end of 2023.
According to Scramble magazine, the first C-130J designed for the Algerian Air Force (r.n. 7T-WJA/N5013D) was spotted on May 23, 2021 in Greenville (pcs.South Carolina).
