Lockheed Martin announced the first flight of the production model of its LM-100J commercial freighter, which took place on Oct. 11, putting the civilian iteration of the legendary C-130J military transport aircraft one step closer to commercial cargo service. The aircraft has since entered FAA type-design update tests.
Lockheed anticipates the freighter operating in “austere locations,” where its ability to land on shorter, rougher runways makes it an alternative to similarly sized freighters that require more developed airports.
The LM-100J is the 17th different mission capability developed for the C-130J Super Hercules, and it is an updated version of the L-100 cargo aircraft, which Lockheed Martin produced from 1964 to 1992.
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