This photograph shows a Lockheed C-130E Hercules bearing the markings of the Imperial Iranian Air Force (I.I. Air Force), one of many C-130s supplied to Iran under U.S. foreign military assistance programs during the Cold War era. The C-130 Hercules, in continuous production since the 1950s, became the backbone of tactical airlift for the United States and dozens of allied air forces worldwide. This example, photographed on a ramp likely prior to delivery, reflects the extensive military cooperation between the United States and the Shah's Iran before the 1979 revolution. Project: 218219