Canada's new Hercules arrives in Afghanistan

The first of Canada's new Hercules aircraft has arrived in southern Afghanistan.  The new C-130J models will eventually replace the older, smaller and slower Hercules aircraft, which have been flying combat support missions in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

The current fleet is aging, with some of the aircraft having logged as many as 45,000 hours in the air.

Two more new Hercules aircraft will arrive in Kandahar just as Canadian troops prepare to wind up their combat mission later this year.

The Conservative government ordered 17 new Hercules aircraft from Lockheed Martin three years ago at a cost of $1.4 billion. The order is supposed to be filled by the end of 2012.

Other countries, including the United States, Britain and Australia, already fly the new Hercules aircraft.