SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – A local military base is celebrating the arrival of its newest hardware.
The 165th Airlift Wing of the Georgia Air National Guard welcomed on Wednesday the arrival of the first C-130J Super Hercules Aircraft.
For the first time since 1981, the Georgia Air National Guard is receiving brand-new equipment straight off the factory floor. The aircraft was made in Georgia — for Georgia.
Built at Lockheed Martin, it’s the most advanced Hercules ever produced.
With the incorporation of the Block 8.1 configuration, the aircraft boasts a state-of-the-art flight management system, upgraded navigation and inter-communication systems, and a revamped friend-or-foe ID system.
This is the first of eight Super Hercules aircraft that will live at the 165th but serve the globe.
“We’re working with our partners, with engineers, to ensure that we prepare the aircraft for deployment in and around 2026,” said Col. Sheldon B. Wilson, 165th Airlift Wing commander.
Located at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, the 165th Airlift Wing was officially mobilized for the Korean War and then again for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They fulfill federal and state missions through precise airdrops and reliable air-land operations.