The first HC-130J Combat King II personnel recovery aircraft for the 71st Rescue Squadron at Moody AFB, Georgia, was delivered on 19 July 2013. The aircraft (Air Force serial number 11-5725) was flown from the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta, Georgia, to the base near Valdosta by US Air Force Maj. Gen. H. D. Polumbo, Jr., Ninth Air Force commander. The HC-130J is replacing the HC-130N/P as the US Air Force’s only dedicated fixed-wing personnel recovery platform. It is designed for expeditionary, all weather personnel recovery operations to include airdrop, airland, helicopter air-to-air refueling, and forward area ground refueling missions. Six HC-130Js will be assigned to Moody.
