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In today’s coalition environment, developing strong ties between partner nations is of utmost importance. Team Ramstein Airmen worked with French airmen to pass along valuable information and tactics in regards to the French air force’s newest C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Fry, 37th Airlift Squadron evaluator loadmaster, met with a loadmaster assigned to the French Comete, the air force’s new C-130J squadron, at the Berlin Air Show. They discussed the upgrades the ‘J’ model offers that the legacy models do not.
“We have been operating the C-130J since it was first produced in the 1990s and have thousands of hours of experience in the aircraft,” Fry said. “A lot of the questions the French forces have we are able to answer or we know who to contact for them.”
Two of the biggest differences between the older ‘E’ and ‘H’ models and the ‘J’ model is the additional 15 feet of length in the fuselage and increasing from four to six blade propellers. This allows the ‘J’ model to climb higher and farther more quickly while taking off and landing with a shorter runway.
“Given the importance of this aircraft to the French mission, the future French-German blended unit, and the significance of the effort required to get the C-130J delivered on time, I think we can consider this a huge ‘win’ on the U.S. Air Force international affairs front,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Richard M. Clark, former 3rd Air Force-17th Expeditionary Air Force commander, who attended the inaugural French C-130J ceremony.
“We have been acting in a supportive role in their transition,” Fry said. “The French are currently writing their operating instruction and are adding things to the technical orders provided by Lockheed Martin.”
Fry continued to say that on an operational level this partnership is vitally important because of how often the 37th AS works with NATO allies.
“This will be the second NATO country who operates the same aircraft with the same capabilities as our own,” he said. “The United Kingdom also flies the ‘J’ model.”
The 37th AS is planning a training event with the French military in Orleans, France. Partnering with NATO allies is of strategic importance and is part of the 86th Airlift Wing’s priorities to be “The World’s Best Wing.”
