Aircraft
Franco-German C-130J Squadron Now a Reality
Details of a S1.4 billion sale to Germany made public, in another blow to Europe’s A400M program.
The French air force held a formal ceremony last January to mark the receipt of its first C-130J. (Photo: German Air Force)
The French air force held a formal ceremony last January to mark the receipt of its first C-130J. (Photo: German Air Force)

The German air force is buying six C-130J Super Hercules that will become part of a joint Franco-German squadron at Evreux airbase, France. Both air forces have now said that the Airbus A400M airlifter that was previously supposed to replace all of their C160 Transalls cannot perform all of the required missions. France received the first of four Super Hercules last December, two years after agreeing to a deal with Lockheed Martin worth $650 million.