The decision followed the initial acceptance of only two Super Hercules aircraft in 2025, while problems affecting subsequent aircraft built to the newer standard had not been resolved by the end of January 2026. By comparison, the manufacturer delivered 21 C-130J aircraft the previous year, and despite the formal halt in new acceptances by the military, production continued throughout the remainder of 2025, with completed aircraft to be handed over once the communications system issues are resolved.
Lockheed Martin has said it has plans in place to quickly resume deliveries and forecasts production of between 16 and 24 aircraft this year. The C-130 Hercules, whose prototype first flew on August 23, 1954, remains the longest continuously produced aircraft design in history and continues to be upgraded to meet modern battlefield requirements, with ongoing orders expected to keep the assembly line in Marietta operating at least through the end of the current decade.
Source: Aviation Week.
