Egypt signs for C-130J airlifters

Egypt has signed for two Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules airlifters, becoming the 23rd operator of the type.

Announced on 5 September, the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) procurement will see the Egyptian Air Force (EAF) acquire the ‘stretched' C-130J-30 variant of the aircraft.

News of the sale came some two-and-a-half years after the US Department of State approved the sale of 12 C-130Js to Egypt in January 2022. Lockheed Martin deferred questions on the discrepancy between the number of aircraft approved and the number acquired to the EAF, which was not immediately available to respond. While no contract value for the two acquired airframes has been disclosed, the approval for the 12 was given as USD2.2 billion.

“This airlift capability would assist with [Egypt's] border security, the interdiction of known terrorist elements, rapid reaction to internal security threats, and humanitarian aid,” the US Defense Security and Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said of the original approval. “Egypt also intends to utilise these aircraft for maritime patrol missions and search-and-rescue missions in the region.”

Egypt already operates a mix of legacy C-130s, with the EAF fielding 22 C-130Hs, three C-130H-30s, and two EC-130H Hercules aircraft that were acquired from 1978, 1990, and 2001 respectively. The fleet is operated by 4 and 16 squadrons of the Cairo International Airport Transport Regiment.