The first of the five Hercules military transport planes for the Polish Armed Forces is to land at Powidz air base near Poznan on Tuesday.

The planes are part of the program of Allied assistance conducted by the United States.

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules can carry 17 tons of hardware or some 90 troops with complete gear on board. The acquisition of the planes shall mark an important step for the Polish military as it will enable much more effective means of transport than those provided by the CASA machines currently at the disposal of air transport units. The increased freight capabilities and speed of the Hercules will be of crucial value in shuttling supplies and troops for Polish missions in Afghanistan and Chad.