Mexico’s air force has announced the acquisition of a second Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules tactical transport aircraft, expanding its airlift capacity after receiving its first aircraft earlier this year.
The first C-130J-30, announced in January, made Mexico the first Latin American country to join the global Super Hercules fleet, Lockheed Martin said.
The Fuerza Aérea Mexicana (FAM) has operated Hercules aircraft for decades and is using the C-130J-30 to modernise its transport fleet. The stretched variant provides an additional 15 feet of cargo space and offers greater payload, range and fuel efficiency than earlier models, the company said.
The first aircraft was deployed to deliver emergency supplies, medical assistance and personnel to Venezuela following two earthquakes there, highlighting the FAM’s use of the aircraft for humanitarian missions.
The second aircraft is expected to expand Mexico’s ability to respond to regional emergencies and support humanitarian and strategic airlift operations across Latin America, Lockheed Martin said.
