The first of four C-130J Super Hercules for the Qatar Emiri Air Force took to the skies over the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta, Georgia, on 08 June 2011.

A joint company-Qatari aircrew consisting of P.R. Helm, Chuck Nelson, Scott DeMarco, Brigadier General Al-Assiri, Colonel Al-Mohannadi, and Major Al-Mannai, put the aircraft through its paces during the flight.

This is Qatar's first experience with C-130s, so the package provided by Lockheed Martin is a complete solution including four aircraft, training of aircrew and maintenance technicians, spares, ground support and test equipment, servicing carts, cargo pallets and a team of technical specialists who will be based in Qatar during an initial support period.

The aircraft will be used for humanitarian relief and military missions for the defense of the State of Qatar.

The picture shows the aircraft leaving the paint hangar. The new Hercules are the longer fuselage or “stretched” variant of the C-130J and deliveries to Qatar will begin later this year.