The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine
turboprop
A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller.
A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel ...
military transport aircraft
A military transport aircraft, military cargo aircraft or airlifter is a military aircraft, military-owned transport aircraft used to support military operations by airlifting troops and military equipment. Transport aircraft are crucial to ma ...
. The C-130J is a comprehensive update of the
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally design ...
, with new engines,
flight deck
The flight deck of an aircraft carrier is the surface from which its aircraft take off and land, essentially a miniature airfield at sea. On smaller naval ships which do not have aviation as a primary mission, the landing area for helicopters ...
, and other systems.
The C-130J is the newest version of the C-130 Hercules and the only model in production. , 500 C-130J aircraft were delivered to 26 operators in 22 countries.
Development
![CC-130J Hercule Cockpit](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/CC-130J_Hercule_Cockpit.JPG)
On 16 December 1994, Lockheed received the launch order for the J-model from the United Kingdom's
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
(RAF).
The C-130J launch order occurred after a UK government stalemate of several months that concerned whether to buy new transport aircraft from Europe or the United States. It was paired with a commitment to buy 40 to 50 of the proposed European
Future Large Aircraft
The Airbus A400M AtlasNamed after the Greek mythological figure. is a European four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. It was designed by Airbus Military (now Airbus Defence and Space) as a tactical airlifter with strategic capa ...
aircraft (FLA, which was later designated as the
A400M
The Airbus A400M AtlasNamed after the Greek mythological figure. is a European four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. It was designed by Airbus Military (now Airbus Defence and Space) as a tactical airlifter with strategic capabi ...
). The FLA commitment, which reduced the size of the C-130J launch order, was intended to ensure a 20 percent British workshare in the FLA program, and to prevent German industry from threatening
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc (BAe) was a British aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was at Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire. Formed in 1977, in 1999 it purchased Marconi ...
's position as the wing manufacturer on the FLA and future
Airbus
Airbus SE (; ; ; ) is a European Multinational corporation, multinational aerospace corporation. Airbus designs, manufactures and sells civil and military aerospace manufacturer, aerospace products worldwide and manufactures aircraft througho ...
commercial projects.
The RAF ordered 25 aircraft for a total fixed price of US$1.6 billion, with first deliveries originally scheduled to begin in November 1996.
The promised deliveries of the C-130J allowed the
British Ministry of Defence
The Ministry of Defence (MOD or MoD) is the department responsible for implementing the defence policy set by His Majesty's Government, and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces.
The MOD states that its principal objectives are to ...
to meet the 1996 deadline for replacing half of the RAF's aging fleet of Hercules aircraft, while the FLA aircraft was not expected to be available at the time until 2003.
To speed up the sale of military and commercial versions of the aircraft,
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
(FAA) civil certification was pursued before delivery would happen.
Civil certification was not a regulatory requirement and was unneeded for the RAF launch order. However, certification was stipulated in Lockheed Martin's contracts with some subsequent customers, including the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
(USAF) and the
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
(RAAF).
The program suffered from problems such as software integration glitches that extended the schedule by three months, followed by a nine-month delay caused by undiscovered
stall characteristics that required aircraft modification.
The stall problem was caused by the additional power of the engines and the increase in propeller blades from 4 to 6, which changed the
aerodynamics
Aerodynamics, from grc, ἀήρ ''aero'' (air) + grc, δυναμική (dynamics), is the study of the motion of air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dyn ...
so that the aircraft had a greater tendency to stall and roll at lower speeds.
Lockheed Martin spent five months making 20 unsuccessful attempts at aerodynamic solutions,
but the stall problems were so varied that the fixes it tried to make applied only to specific conditions (such as only during power off, or only at full power).
Lockheed Martin changed the cockpit to include a
stick pusher
A stick pusher is a device installed in some fixed-wing aircraft to prevent the aircraft from entering an aerodynamic stall. Some large fixed-wing aircraft display poor post-stall handling characteristics or are vulnerable to deep stall. To preven ...
, which takes control and automatically pushes down the aircraft's nose if the pilot doesn't respond to stall warnings.
The stick pusher was meant to be a temporary addition until Lockheed Martin could find an aerodynamic fix for all of the new stall conditions.
In late 1997, the company discovered that directional problems could be caused by ice build-ups.
Because the AE 2100 engines were more powerful and fuel-efficient than the
Allison T56
The Allison T56 is an American single-shaft, modular design military turboprop with a 14-stage axial flow compressor driven by a four-stage turbine. It was originally developed by the Allison Engine Company for the Lockheed C-130 Hercules tra ...
engines that they replaced, the engines no longer produced enough
bleed air
Bleed air is compressed air taken from the compressor stage of a gas turbine upstream of its fuel-burning sections. Automatic air supply and cabin pressure controller (ASCPCs) valves bleed air from high or low stage engine compressor sections. Lo ...
to continuously warm the tail. This situation had been anticipated, but the cyclic system that replaced the old de-icing system was found to be insufficient when the C-130J flew in extreme conditions.
This problem forced the company to extend the
de-icing system higher and lower on the
vertical stabilizer
A vertical stabilizer or tail fin is the static part of the vertical tail of an aircraft. The term is commonly applied to the assembly of both this fixed surface and one or more movable rudders hinged to it. Their role is to provide control, sta ...
to prevent ice formation, causing another delay of five months. These issues resulted in Lockheed Martin exceeding its initial C-130J development budget of US$300 million.
By May 1998, Lockheed had spent over US$900 million in development costs for the C-130J.
By the end of 1998, the company owed the RAF about US$50 million in penalties due to the delivery delays.
FAA type certification occurred in September 1998 following 4,000 hours of
flight testing
Flight testing is a branch of aeronautical engineering that develops specialist equipment required for testing aircraft behaviour and systems. Instrumentation systems are developed using proprietary transducers and data acquisition systems. D ...
.
Deliveries commenced in 1999 as the Hercules C4 (C-130J-30) and Hercules C5 (C-130J). The standard C-130J had a
flyaway cost of in 2008.
["FY 2009 Budget Estimates."](_blank)
''United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
'' via ''saffm.hq.af.mi'', February 2008, p. 81.
On 23 December 2004, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense
Paul Wolfowitz
Paul Dundes Wolfowitz (born December 22, 1943) is an American political scientist and diplomat who served as the 10th President of the World Bank, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense, U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, and former dean of Johns Hopkins ...
approved a program budget decision that ended the procurement of C-130J for the Air Force and completed the remaining KC-130J order for the Marine Corps in 2006, which would save US$5 billion in
the Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a metony ...
budget.
Deficiencies with the C-130J that were cited to support the decision included being unable to drop heavy equipment, the inability to perform combat
search-and-rescue missions, cold-weather performance issues, the risk of
paratroopers
A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during Worl ...
hitting the fuselage when jumping out of the aircraft, major cost increases, and inadequate radar to fly into hurricanes.
U.S. Secretary of Defense
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld (July 9, 1932 – June 29, 2021) was an American politician, government official and businessman who served as Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under president Gerald Ford, and again from 2001 to 2006 under Presi ...
reversed this decision on May 10, 2005, after members of Congress stated that the canceling the pre-existing orders of 62 total Air Force aircraft over the following 5 years would result in about US$2 billion in termination costs to the government, which would have exceeded the cost of buying the aircraft.
In mid-June 2008, the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
awarded a $470 million contract to Lockheed Martin for six modified KC-130J aircraft for use by the Air Force and
Special Operations Command. The contract led to C-130J variants that will replace aging
HC-130s and
MC-130s. The
HC-130J
The Lockheed HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue (SAR)/ combat search and rescue (CSAR) version of the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, with two different versions operated by two separate services in the U.S. armed fo ...
Combat King II personnel recovery aircraft completed developmental testing on 14 March 2011. The final test point was air-to-air refueling, and was the first ever boom refueling of a C-130 where the aircraft's refueling receiver was installed during aircraft production. This test procedure also applied to the
MC-130J
The Lockheed MC-130 is the basic designation for a family of special mission aircraft operated by the United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), a wing of the Air Education and Training Command, and an AFSOC-gained wing of the ...
Combat Shadow II aircraft in production for Air Force Special Operations Command.
Harvest HAWK
![KC-130J Harvest Hawk (front) at Camp Dwyer Afghanistan 2011](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/KC-130J_Harvest_Hawk_%28front%29_at_Camp_Dwyer_Afghanistan_2011.JPG)
With the addition of the Marine Corps
ISR / Weapon Mission Kit, the
KC-130J tanker variant will be able to serve as an
overwatch
''Overwatch'' is a multimedia franchise centered on a series of online multiplayer first-person shooter (FPS) video games developed by Blizzard Entertainment: '' Overwatch'' released in 2016, and ''Overwatch 2'' released in 2022. Both games f ...
aircraft and can deliver ground support fire in the form of
Hellfire or
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (Ancient Greek: , ''gryps''; Classical Latin: ''grȳps'' or ''grȳpus''; Late Latin, Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a legendary creature with the body, tail ...
missiles,
precision-guided bombs, and eventually
30mm Mk44 Bushmaster II cannon fire in a later upgrade. This capability, designated as "Harvest HAWK" (Hercules Airborne Weapons Kit), can be used in scenarios where precision is not a requisite, such as
area denial
An area denial weapon is a defensive device used to prevent an adversary from occupying or traversing an area of land, sea or air. The specific method used does not have to be totally effective in preventing passage (and sometimes is not) as lon ...
.
[McCullough, Amy. "Refuel and Fire." '']Marine Corps Times
''Marine Corps Times'' (ISSN 1522-0869) is a newspaper serving active, reserve and retired United States Marine Corps personnel and their families, providing news, information and analysis as well as community and lifestyle features, educational su ...
, 1 June 2009. The aircraft retains its original capabilities in refueling and transportation. The kit can be removed within a day if necessary.
[Flurry, SSgt Christopher]
"KC-130J Harvest Hawk: Marine Corps teaches old plane new tricks in Afghanistan."
''2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The Wing provides the aviation combat element for the ...
(Fwd), United States Marine Corps, Camp Dwyer
Camp Dwyer was a military camp formerly of the United States Marine Corps located within the Helmand River Valley southwest of Garmsir in Garmsir District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
History
The base was originally a forward operating base h ...
, Afghanistan,'' 1 April 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
TACAMO
The
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
is considering replacing its fleet of
E-6B Mercury
The Boeing E-6 Mercury (formerly Hermes) is an airborne command post and communications relay based on the Boeing 707. The original E-6A manufactured by Boeing's defense division entered service with the United States Navy in July 1989, repla ...
aircraft with C-130J-30 Hercules aircraft in the Take Charge And Move Out (TACAMO) survivable nuclear communications role. The U.S. Navy's
Naval Air Systems Command
The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) provides materiel support for aircraft and airborne weapon systems for the United States Navy. It is one of the Echelon II Navy systems commands (SYSCOM), and was established in 1966 as the successor to the ...
(NAVAIR) posted a solicitation for fatigue test aircraft to a government procurement website on 18 December 2020. It is to award Lockheed Martin a contract for three "stretched" Hercules in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 for testing and analysis for the TACAMO mission.
Design
Externally similar to the classic Hercules in general appearance, the J-model features considerably updated technology. These differences include new
Rolls-Royce AE 2100
The Rolls-Royce AE 2100 is a turboprop developed by Allison Engine Company, now part of Rolls-Royce North America. The engine was originally known as the GMA 2100, when Allison was a division of former corporate parent General Motors.
Developm ...
D3
turboprop
A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller.
A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel ...
engines,
Dowty R391 six-bladed
composite
Composite or compositing may refer to:
Materials
* Composite material, a material that is made from several different substances
** Metal matrix composite, composed of metal and other parts
** Cermet, a composite of ceramic and metallic materials
...
scimitar propeller
A scimitar propeller is a type of propeller that has curved blades with increasing sweep along the leading edge. Their name is derived from their visual similarity to the curved blades of scimitars. In the early 1900s, as established by the Fr ...
s that have blade tips swept by 35 degrees, digital avionics (including
head-up display
A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD (), is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. The origin of the name stems from a pilot being able to view informa ...
s (HUDs) for each pilot), and reduced crew requirements. These changes have improved performance over its C-130E/H predecessors, such as 40% greater range, 21% higher maximum speed, and 41% shorter takeoff distance.
[Eden 2004.] Because of the deicing problem discovered late in the certification program, the C-130J includes a black rubber deicing boot at the bottom of the vertical fin, which is another visual difference from previous versions of the Hercules.
The J-model is available in a standard-length or stretched ''-30'' variant.
As a cargo and airlift aircraft, the C-130J's crew includes two pilots and one
loadmaster
A loadmaster is an aircrew member on civilian aircraft or military transport aircraft tasked with the safe loading, transport and unloading of aerial cargoes. Loadmasters serve in the militaries and civilian airlines of many nations.
Duties
...
(no
navigator
A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation.Grierson, MikeAviation History—Demise of the Flight Navigator FrancoFlyers.org website, October 14, 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2014. The navigator's primar ...
or
flight engineer
A flight engineer (FE), also sometimes called an air engineer, is the member of an aircraft's flight crew who monitors and operates its complex aircraft systems. In the early era of aviation, the position was sometimes referred to as the "air me ...
), while specialized USAF variants (e.g., AC-130J, EC-130J, MC-130J, HC-130J, WC-130J) may have larger crews, such as navigators/
Combat Systems Officers or other specialized officer and enlisted air crew. The U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J uses a crew chief for expeditionary operations. The C-130J's cargo compartment is approximately long, high, and wide, and loading is from the rear of the fuselage.
The aircraft can be configured with the "enhanced cargo handling system". The system consists of a computerized loadmaster's station from which the user can remotely control the under-floor winch and configure the flip-floor system to palletized roller or flat-floor cargo handling. Initially developed for the USAF, this system enables rapid role changes to be carried out and so extends the C-130J's time available to complete taskings.
Operational history
The Super Hercules has been used extensively by the USAF and USMC in Iraq and Afghanistan. Canada has also deployed its CC-130J aircraft to Afghanistan.
C-130Js from several countries have been deployed in support of the US
Operation Odyssey Dawn and
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
's
Operation Unified Protector
Operation Unified Protector was a NATO operation in 2011 enforcing United Nations Security Council resolutions 1970 and 1973 concerning the Libyan Civil War and adopted on 26 February and 17 March 2011, respectively. These resolutions imposed ...
during the
2011 Libyan civil war
The First Libyan Civil War was an armed conflict in 2011 in the North African country of Libya that was fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and rebel groups that were seeking to oust his government. It erupted with the Liby ...
.
From the first flight on 5 April 1996 to 30 April 2013, 290 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft operated by 13 nations surpassed 1 million flight hours.
[Israel Receives First C-130J Super Hercules: ‘Shimshon’](_blank)
– Lockheed press release, 26 June 2013
In January 2013, it was reported that some of Canada's CC-130J transports had counterfeit Chinese microchips in their cockpit displays that were made by an American Lockheed contractor
L3 Communications
L3 Technologies, formerly L-3 Communications Holdings, was an American company that supplied command and control, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance ( C3ISR) systems and products, avionics, ocean products, training ...
. These parts are more likely to fail and result in failures such as blank instrument screens during flight. A 14-month investigation by the
U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
Armed Services Committee concluded that
counterfeit
To counterfeit means to imitate something authentic, with the intent to steal, destroy, or replace the original, for use in illegal transactions, or otherwise to deceive individuals into believing that the fake is of equal or greater value tha ...
parts in the Hercules and other American-made military equipment are prone to failure with potentially "catastrophic consequences." The U.S. congressional investigation reported the fake Hercules microchips were originally made by the Korean electronics giant
Samsung
The Samsung Group (or simply Samsung) ( ko, 삼성 ) is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It comprises numerous affiliated businesses, most of them united under the ...
in the 1990s, and more than a decade later, had been recycled, refurbished and remarked to appear genuine by a different supplier from China. Samsung later stated that "it is not possible to project the reliability" of the altered parts. The U.S. investigation reported that the problems on the Hercules first came to light in 2010 when the
instrument panel failed on a U.S. Air Force aircraft during active duty.
On 20 August 2013, the Indian Air Force performed the highest landing of a C-130J at the
Daulat Beg Oldi
Daulat Beg Oldi (also Oldie, DBO) is a traditional campsite and current military base located in the midst of the Karakoram Range in northern Ladakh, India. It is on the historic trade route between Ladakh and Central Asia, forming the last ca ...
airstrip in
Ladakh
Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and ...
at the height of .
Civilian use
The
Modular Airborne FireFighting System
The Modular Airborne FireFighting System (MAFFS) is a self-contained unit used for aerial firefighting that can be loaded onto both military cargo transport Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Embraer C-390 Millennium, which then allows the aircraft to b ...
(MAFFS) is a self-contained unit used for
aerial firefighting
Aerial may refer to:
Music
* ''Aerial'' (album), by Kate Bush
* ''Aerials'' (song), from the album ''Toxicity'' by System of a Down
Bands
*Aerial (Canadian band)
* Aerial (Scottish band)
* Aerial (Swedish band)
Performance art
* Aerial sil ...
that can be loaded onto a C-130 Hercules, which then allows the aircraft to be used as an air tanker against
wildfire
A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire ...
s.
["Modular Airborne FireFighting System (MAFFS)."]
''U.S. Forest Service,'' 19 March 2008. Retrieved 9 October 2010. This allows the
U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to use military aircraft from the
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...
and
Air Force Reserve
The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a MAJCOM, major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of ...
to serve as an emergency backup resource to the civilian air tanker fleet.
["Modular Airborne FireFighting Systems (MAFFS)".]
''U.S. Forest Service,'' 24 June 2008. Retrieved 9 October 2010. The latest generation MAFFS II system was used for the first time on a fire in July 2010, using the C-130J Super Hercules.[Krenke, Lt. Col. Ellen]
"MAFFS responds to brush fires in California."
''national Guard'', 16 July 2010. Retrieved 9 October 2010. The 146th Airlift Wing was the first to transition to the MAFFS II system in 2008, and it remains the only unit flying the new system on the C-130J aircraft.
Orders and deliveries
The largest operator of the new model is the U.S. Air Force, which has ordered the aircraft in increasing numbers. Current operators of the C-130J are the USAF (including the Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commiss ...
and the Air National Guard
The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...
), United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
(being their fourth variant after KC-130F, KC-130R and KC-130T,) United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...
, Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
, Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...
, Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
, Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
, Royal Danish Air Force
The Royal Danish Air Force ( da, Flyvevåbnet, lit=The Flying weapon) (RDAF) is the aerial warfare force of The Kingdom of Denmark and one of the four branches of the Danish Defence. Initially being components of the Army and the Navy, it was ...
, Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) ( no, Luftforsvaret, , The Air Defence) is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian Armed Forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peacetime establishment is approximatel ...
, Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defense ...
, and the Italian Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = (Ordinance March of the Air Force) by Alberto Di Miniello
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 28 March ...
. As of March 2022, a total of 500 units have been produced.["Lockheed Martin delivers 500th C-130J Super Hercules"](_blank)
''Aviacionline'', 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
International orders
The Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
was the second international customer for the C-130J-30, with an initial order of twelve aircraft. An order for two more aircraft was planned, but was replaced by the purchase of a fifth Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
The McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of two ...
. On 2 November 2022, the US State Department approved the possible sale of 24 C-130Js worth up to $6.35 billion to the Australian Air Force.
The Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) ( no, Luftforsvaret, , The Air Defence) is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian Armed Forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peacetime establishment is approximatel ...
ordered four C-130J-30s in 2007 to replace six aging C-130Hs in need of repairs.["Norway to Renew Tactical Transport Fleet."](_blank)
''Defense Industry Daily'', 23 November 2009. Aircraft were delivered from November 2008[Hoyle, Craig]
''Flight International
''Flight International'' is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", it is the world's oldes ...
'', 17 November 2008. to 2010. One of these was lost in March 2012.
The Canadian Forces
}
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force.
...
signed a US$1.4 billion contract with Lockheed Martin for seventeen new C-130J-30s in January 2008, as part of the procurement process to replace the existing C-130E and H models. The C-130J is officially designated as the ''CC-130J Hercules'' in Canadian service. The first C-130J was delivered to CFB Trenton in June 2010.["New generation of CC-130J Hercules arrives in Canada."]
''Canada's Air Force'', 4 June 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2010. The final C-130J was delivered in May 2012.["Final CC-130J Hercules Transport Aircraft Delivery Ahead of Schedule."]
''Canada's Air Force'', 11 May 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
The Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...
purchased six C-130J-30s in early 2008 at a cost of up to US$1.059 billion for its special operations forces
Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
in a package deal with the US government under its Foreign Military Sales
The United States Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program facilitates sales of U.S. arms, defense equipment, defense services, and military training to foreign governments. The purchaser does not deal directly with the defens ...
(FMS) program. India has options to buy six more aircraft. The Indian government decided not to sign the Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA), which resulted in the exclusion of high precision GPS and other sensitive equipment. The IAF added similar equipment produced indigenously to the aircraft after delivery. In October 2011, India announced its intent to exercise the option for the six additional aircraft, following the C-130J's favorable performance in the 2011 Sikkim earthquake relief operations. In July 2012, the U.S. accepted India's request for the six more C-130Js through the FMS program.["US accepts India's request for supplying 6 more C-130J planes."]
''The Economic Times'', 20 July 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2012. In December 2013, India's CCS approved the order for 6 more aircraft.
The Iraqi Air Force
The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF or IrAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية العراقية, Al Quwwat al Jawwiyah al Iraqiyyah}) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It is responsible for the defense of Iraqi airspace as well ...
ordered six C-130J-30s in July 2008.["Iraq Orders C-130Js."]
''Defense Industry Daily'', 12 August 2009.
Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
ordered four C-130Js in October 2008, along with spare parts and training for the Qatar Emiri Air Force
The Qatar Emiri Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الأميرية القطرية , Al-Quwwat Al-Jawiyah Al-Amiriyah Al-Qatariyah) (QEAF) is the air arm of the armed forces of the state of Qatar. It was established in 1974 as a small aer ...
. The contract is worth a total of US$393.6 million and deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2011.
The United Arab Emirates Air Force
The United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية والدفاع الجوي الاماراتي, al-Quwwāt al-Jawiyah wa al-Defa' al-Jawiy al-ʾImārāty) is the air force of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), part of the U ...
announced an order for twelve C-130J transports at the 2009 IDEX, with an announced value of US$1.3 billion. The United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...
requested 12 C-130Js through a Direct Commercial Sale in December 2009, with logistics support, training and related systems to be provided through a Foreign Military Sales program. A contract with Lockheed Martin has not been signed.
The Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defense ...
is seeking to purchase nine C-130J-30s. In April 2010 Israel ordered one C-130J-30 with delivery in 2013, and was in contract talks for two more aircraft in June 2010.[Egozi, Arie]
"Israel ditches Apache upgrade plan, commits to CH-53K."
''Flightglobal.com'', 30 June 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2010. An option for a second C-130J-30 was exercised in April 2011, along with planning and advance long lead procurement of aircraft components to support the third C-130J Israeli aircraft. The first Israeli C-130J was delivered in June 2013 and was modified with Israeli-unique systems in the United States prior to its arrival in Israel in April 2014. Israel ordered a fourth C-130J-30 in July 2013. The C-130J's local name is "Shimshon
Samson (; , '' he, Šīmšōn, label= none'', "man of the sun") was the last of the judges of the ancient Israelites mentioned in the Book of Judges (chapters 13 to 16) and one of the last leaders who "judged" Israel before the institution ...
".
The Kuwait Air Force
The Kuwait Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الكويتية , al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Kuwait. The Air Force headquarters is located at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, with the remaining f ...
signed a contract for three KC-130J air refueling tankers in May 2010, with deliveries to begin in late 2013.["Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract for Kuwait Air Force KC-130J Tankers."]
''defpro.com'', 27 May 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2010. The KC-130Js will refuel its F-18s and augment its fleet of three militarized L-100s.
Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
increased its C-130J order in August 2010 by adding two C-130Js to the single C-130J-30 ordered in 2009. Deliveries are to be completed by early 2014.[Parsons, Gary]
"Oman orders extra C-130Js."
''AirForces Monthly'', 25 August 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010. The Royal Saudi Air Force
The Royal Saudi Air Force ( ar, الْقُوَّاتُ الْجَوِّيَّةُ الْمَلَكِيَّةْ ٱلسُّعُوْدِيَّة, Al-Quwwat Al-Jawiyah Al-Malakiyah as-Su’udiyah) (RSAF) is the aviation branch of the Saudi Arabia ...
has purchased two KC-130Js to be delivered in 2016.
The Mexican Government
The Federal government of Mexico (alternately known as the Government of the Republic or ' or ') is the national government of the United Mexican States, the central government established by its constitution to share sovereignty over the republi ...
has requested 2 C-130J-30s.
The Mongolian Air Force
The Mongolian Air Force ( mn, Монгол Улсын Зэвсэгт Хүчний Агаарын цэрэг) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Mongolian Armed Forces.
History
Early years and WWII
On 25 May 1925, a Junkers F.13 pilot ...
is planning to buy 3 C-130Js.
In July 2013, the C-130J became part of a competition in the Peruvian Air Force
The Peruvian Air Force ( es, link=no, Fuerza Aérea del Perú, FAP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power. Additional missions include assistance in safeguardin ...
for a medium transport aircraft. The Super Hercules was a candidate along with the EADS CASA C-295, the Alenia C-27J Spartan, the Antonov An-70
The Antonov An-70 ( uk, link=no, Антонов Ан-70) is a four-engine medium-range transport aircraft, and the first aircraft to take flight powered only by propfan engines. It was developed in the late 1980s by the Antonov Design Bureau ...
, and the upgraded Antonov An-32
The Antonov An-32 ( NATO reporting name: Cline) is a turboprop twin-engined military transport aircraft.
Design and development
The An-32 is essentially a re-engined An-26. It is designed to withstand adverse weather conditions better than the ...
. The Peruvian Air Force selected the C-27J in November 2013.
In 2015, the French Air Force ordered 4 Super Hercules to supplement existing capabilities due to the ongoing problems and delays of the ordered Airbus A400M, through FMS the French got 2 C-130J in 2017/2018 and 2 KC-130J in 2018/2019 (helicopter refuelling capability), especially supporting French overseas operations in Africa.
In January 2017, German defence minister announced the intention to purchase 3 C-130J and 3 KC-130J Hercules to acquire tactical airlift capabilities due to the delayed deliveries of the Airbus A400M. Together with the C-130J of the French Air Force this will form a joint air transport squadron.
In September 2018, Indonesia's state-owned news agency Antara
Antara is an Indonesian news agency organized as a statutory corporation. It is the country's national news agency, supplying news reports to many domestic media organizations. It is the only organization authorized to distribute news material ...
reported that minister of defence Ryamizard Ryacudu
General Ryamizard Ryacudu (born 21 April 1950) is an Indonesian politician who served as the Minister of Defense of Indonesia from 2014 until 2019. He previously served as Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army
The Chief of Staff of the Indo ...
said Indonesia is looking to acquire 5 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.
In June 2019, New Zealand's Minister of Defence Ron Mark
Ron Stanley Mark (born 29 January 1954) is a New Zealand politician of the New Zealand First party, and former soldier, who served as Minister of Defence between October 2017 and November 2020. He served as mayor of Carterton from 2010 to 2014, ...
identified the C-130J-30 as the preferred replacement for the Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...
's five remaining C-130Hs that are planned to be in service until 2023. In November 2019 the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the potential sale of five C-130Js, 24 engines and related equipment for an estimated cost of US$1.4 billion. The sale was confirmed in June 2020, with the planes expected to be delivered between 2024 and 2025.
In September 2020, Philippine Air Force chief Allen T. Paredes planned to acquire 5 C-130J-30 aircraft. The quantity was later reduced to 2 after government funds were prioritized for the COVID-19 pandemic response.
In September 2021, it was reported that Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
ordered 5 C-130J-30 aircraft from Lockheed Martin for the Indonesian Air Force
The Indonesian Air Force ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU), literally "''Indonesian National Military-Air Force''") sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF, is the aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The ...
back in 2019, with the first aircraft already under construction.
In January 2022, the United States Department of State
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other n ...
announced its approval of Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
's request to purchase 12 C-130J aircraft with related equipment and notified Congress.
In November 2022, the US agreed to a Foreign Military Sales
The United States Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program facilitates sales of U.S. arms, defense equipment, defense services, and military training to foreign governments. The purchaser does not deal directly with the defens ...
purchase by Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
of 24 C-130J-30 aircraft, that will effectively double the RAAF
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
fleet after the existing aircraft have been retired.[RAAF looks to double cargo fleet with $10 billion US deal to replace ageing Hercules aircraft](_blank)
Andrew Greene, ABC News Online
ABC News, or ABC News and Current Affairs, is a public news service produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Broadcasting within Australia and the rest of the world, the service covers both local and world affairs.
The division of ...
2022-11-03
Deliveries
Variants
;C-130J Super Hercules
:Tactical airlifter
;C-130J-30
:Lockheed Martin designation for its extended fuselage variant; designated CC-130J by USAF for a short time after 2002.
;C-130J-SOF
:Variant outfitted with extended ISR equipment for use with special forces
Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
. Unveiled in June 2017.
;CC-130J Hercules
:Royal Canadian Air Force designation for the C-130J-30.
; EC-130J Commando Solo III
:Variant for the Air Force Special Operations Command, operated by the Pennsylvania Air National Guard
The Pennsylvania Air National Guard (PA ANG) is the aerial militia of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States of America. It is, along with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, an element of the Pennsylvania National Guard.
As commonw ...
.
;HC-130J Combat King II
The Lockheed HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue (SAR)/ combat search and rescue (CSAR) version of the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, with two different versions operated by two separate services in the U.S. armed fo ...
:Long range patrol and air-sea rescue variant for the United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...
. USAF HC-130J version has changes for in-flight refueling.
;KC-130J
The Lockheed Martin (previously Lockheed) KC-130 is a family of the extended-range tanker version of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. The KC-130J is the latest variant operated by the United States Marine Corps (USMC), with 48 delivered ...
:Aerial refueling tanker and tactical airlifter version for United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
.
;MC-130J Commando II
The Lockheed MC-130 is the basic designation for a family of special mission aircraft operated by the United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), a wing of the Air Education and Training Command, and an AFSOC-gained wing of the ...
:Designed for Air Force Special Operations Command. Originally named Combat Shadow II.
;MC-130J Commando II Amphibious Capability
:A twin-float amphibious modification to allow the aircraft to support operations at sea and in near-shore areas.
; WC-130J
:Weather reconnaissance (" Hurricane Hunter") version for the Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commiss ...
.
;Hercules C4
:Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
designation for the C-130J-30
;Hercules C5
:Royal Air Force designation for the C-130J
; LM-100J
:A civilian version of the C-130J-30
;SC-130J Sea Hercules
: Proposed maritime patrol version of the C-130J, designed for coastal surveillance and anti-submarine warfare.
Operators
;
*Algerian Air Force
The Algerian Air Force (AAF) ( ar, القُوَّاتُ الجَوِّيَّةُ الجَزَائِرِيَّةُ, links=, lit=, translit=al-Quwwāt al-Ǧawwiyyah al-Ǧazāʾiriyyah, french: Forces aériennes algériennes, links=, lit=, translit ...
– 2 C-130J in service and 2 more on order as of June 2022.
;
*Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
– 12 C-130J-30s in service as of January 2014["World Military Aircraft Inventory". ''2014 Aerospace''. Aviation Week and Space Technology, January 2014.]
** 37 Squadron
;
*Royal Bahraini Air Force
The Royal Bahraini Air Force ( ar, سلاح الجو الملكي البحريني, abbreviated as RBAF, formerly known as Bahrain Amiri Air Force) is the aerial warfare branch of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF). Originally formed as the BDF A ...
– One ex-RAF C-130J in service as of December 2018, with additional one on order.[Hoyle ''Flight International'' 4–10 December 2018, p. 39.]
;
*Bangladesh Air Force
The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) ( bn, বাংলাদেশ বিমান বাহিনী, Bangladesh Biman Bahini) is the aerial warfare branch of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The Air Force is primarily responsible for air defence of B ...
– 5 ex-RAF C-130Js ordered. Four C-130J received.
** 101 Squadron Special Flying Unit
;
*Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
– 17 C-130J-30s in operation as of December 2018[Hoyle ''Flight International'' 4–10 December 2018, p. 41.]
** 436 Transport Squadron
;
*Royal Danish Air Force
The Royal Danish Air Force ( da, Flyvevåbnet, lit=The Flying weapon) (RDAF) is the aerial warfare force of The Kingdom of Denmark and one of the four branches of the Danish Defence. Initially being components of the Army and the Navy, it was ...
– four C-130J-30s in service as of December 2018[Hoyle ''Flight International'' 4–10 December 2018, p. 43.]
;
*Egyptian Air Force
The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية المصرية, El Qūwāt El Gawīyä El Maṣrīya), is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces that is responsible for all airborne defence missions and operates all milit ...
– two C-130Js on order for delivery in 2019.
;
*French Air and Space Force
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...
– two C-130Js and two KC-130Js based at Orléans – Bricy Air Base
Orléans – Bricy Air Base (french: Base aérienne 123 « Commandant Charles Paoli ») is a French Air and Space Force (Armée de l'air et de l'espace) (ALAE) base. The base is located approximately north-northwesst of Ingré near the city of Or ...
in joint Franco-German unit. First C-130J inducted into service in January 2018.
;
*German Air Force
The German Air Force (german: Luftwaffe, lit=air weapon or air arm, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ''Bundeswehr'') was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War a ...
– 3 C-130J-30s and 3 KC-130Js on order, to be based at Évreux-Fauville Air Base
Évreux-Fauville Air Base (''Base aérienne 105 Évreux'' or BA 105) is a French Air and Space Force base located about 2 miles (3 km) east of the town of Évreux in the Eure ''département'', on the north side of the Route nationale 13 ...
in France in joint Franco-German unit.
;
*Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...
– Twelve C-130J-30s in service as of December 2019.[Hoyle ''Flight International'' 4–10 December 2018, p. 46.] A total of 12 C-130J-30s had been ordered by December 2013;["India Buys C-130J-30 Hercules for Special Forces."]
''Defenseindustrydaily.com'', 21 January 2013. one crashed in 2014[ which was replaced in 2019.
;
*]Indonesian Air Force
The Indonesian Air Force ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU), literally "''Indonesian National Military-Air Force''") sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF, is the aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The ...
– five C-130J-30s ordered
;
*Iraqi Air Force
The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF or IrAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية العراقية, Al Quwwat al Jawwiyah al Iraqiyyah}) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It is responsible for the defense of Iraqi airspace as well ...
– three C-130J-30s in service as of January 2014,[ with a total of six C-130J-30s on order.][
;
*]Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defense ...
– six C-130J-30s on order with deliveries planned to begin in spring 2013.["Israel Acquires Additional Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules."](_blank)
''Lockheed Martin'', 28 April 2011. It planned to acquire a total of nine C-130J-30s in 2008. 7 received as of January 2019.
;
*Italian Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = (Ordinance March of the Air Force) by Alberto Di Miniello
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 28 March ...
– 20 aircraft (four C-130Js, ten C-130J-30s, and six KC-130J) in service as of January 2022.
;
*Kuwait Air Force
The Kuwait Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الكويتية , al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Kuwait. The Air Force headquarters is located at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, with the remaining f ...
– three KC-130Js delivered with an option to purchase three more.
;
*Libyan Air Force
The Libyan Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الليبية) is the branch of the Libyan Armed Forces responsible for aerial warfare. In 2010, before the Libyan Civil War, the Libyan Air Force personnel strength was estimated at 18,000 ...
– 2 C-130J-30 on order
;
* Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...
– 5 C-130J-30 aircraft ordered in June 2020 to replace its existing fleet of C-130s.
;
*Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) ( no, Luftforsvaret, , The Air Defence) is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian Armed Forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peacetime establishment is approximatel ...
– four C-130J-30s in service as of January 2014[
;
*]Royal Air Force of Oman
The Royal Air Force of Oman ( ar, سلاح الجو السلطاني عمان, Silāḥ al-Jaww as-Sulṭāniy ‘Umān or RAFO) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Oman.
History Sultan of Oman's Air Force era
The Sultan of Oman's Air Force ...
– one C-130J-30 in use as of January 2014.[ Two more C-130Js on order with delivery in 2014.][
;
* ]Royal Saudi Air Force
The Royal Saudi Air Force ( ar, الْقُوَّاتُ الْجَوِّيَّةُ الْمَلَكِيَّةْ ٱلسُّعُوْدِيَّة, Al-Quwwat Al-Jawiyah Al-Malakiyah as-Su’udiyah) (RSAF) is the aviation branch of the Saudi Arabia ...
– two KC-130J tankers in service
;
*Republic of Korea Air Force
The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF; ko, 대한민국 공군; RR: ''Daehanminguk Gong-gun''), also known as the ROK Air Force or South Korean Air Force, is the aerial warfare service branch of South Korea, operating under the Ministry of N ...
– four C-130J-30s ordered with for delivery in 2014. Two of four aircraft were delivered to Republic of Korea Air Force in 2014.
;
*Tunisian Air Force
The Tunisian Air Force ( ar, جيش الطيران, french: Armée de l'Air) is one of the branches of the Tunisian Armed Forces.
History
The Tunisian Air Force was established in 1959, three years after Tunisia regained its independence from ...
– two C-130J-30 received as of December 2014
;
*Qatar Emiri Air Force
The Qatar Emiri Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الأميرية القطرية , Al-Quwwat Al-Jawiyah Al-Amiriyah Al-Qatariyah) (QEAF) is the air arm of the armed forces of the state of Qatar. It was established in 1974 as a small aer ...
– four C-130J-30s in use as of January 2014[
;
*]Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
– 14 aircraft (1 C-130J, and 13 C-130J-30s) in service as of January 2020. On 22 March 2021, it was announced that the C-130J would be retired from the Royal Air Force by 2023.
;
*United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
– 273 C-130Js and variants in use as of March 2022
*United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
/United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
– 65 C-130Js and variants in use as of March 2022
*United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...
– 15 C-130Js and variants in use as of March 2022
Accidents
C-130Js have been involved in the following notable accidents:
*On 12 February 2007, Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
(RAF) Hercules C.4 (C-130J-30), ZH876, c/n 5460 (built 1998) was seriously damaged during landing on a desert airstrip by multiple improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mechan ...
s (IEDs) along the airstrip, in Maysan province near Basrah, Iraq. There were no casualties to the crew and passengers, but the airframe was damaged beyond repair and subsequently destroyed at crash site by explosives to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.
*On 15 March 2012, Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) ( no, Luftforsvaret, , The Air Defence) is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian Armed Forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peacetime establishment is approximatel ...
(RNoAF) () C-130J-30, 10–5630 'SIW' (the newest of four C-130Js in the RNoAF inventory), c/n 5630, on a flight from Evenes Air Station
Evenes Air Station is a military airbase of the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) located in the town of Evenes in Evenes Municipality, Nordland county, Norway.
History
The air station was initially opened in 1979 as a hub for Bodø Main A ...
, Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
to Kiruna
(; se, Giron ; fi, Kiiruna ) is the northernmost Stad (Sweden), city in Sweden, situated in the province of Lapland, Sweden, Lapland. It had 17,002 inhabitants in 2016 and is the seat of Kiruna Municipality (population: 23,167 in 2016) in Norr ...
, Sweden, impacted the side of Kebnekaise
Kebnekaise (; from Sami or , "Cauldron Crest") is the highest mountain in Sweden. The Kebnekaise massif, which is part of the Scandinavian mountain range, has two main peaks. The glaciated southern peak used to be the highest at above sea leve ...
mountain at an altitude of during bad weather after disappearing from radar, and disintegrated. All five RNoAF crew aboard were killed. Continued bad weather meant that a RNoAF Lockheed P-3C Orion
The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engined, turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner. (NATO/OTAN) exercise '' Cold Response''.
*On 28 March 2014, Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...
(IAF) C-130J-30 KC-3803 (one of six operated by the IAF), operated by 77 Squadron 'Veiled Vipers', crashed near Gwalior
Gwalior() is a major city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh; it lies in northern part of Madhya Pradesh and is one of the Counter-magnet cities. Located south of Delhi, the capital city of India, from Agra and from Bhopal, the s ...
, India, less than ten minutes after takeoff, killing all five personnel aboard. The aircraft was conducting low level penetration training by flying at around , following a second C-130J. It was then during a climb to when it stalled after running into wake turbulence
Wake turbulence is a disturbance in the atmosphere that forms behind an aircraft as it passes through the air. It includes variety of elements, the most significant of which are wingtip vortices and jetwash. Jetwash refers to the rapidly moving g ...
from the lead aircraft in the formation, which caused it to crash; suggesting an error of judgement by the pilot.
*On 2 October 2015, a United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
(USAF) C-130J originally from the 317th Airlift Group at Dyess Air Force Base
Dyess Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located about southwest of downtown Abilene, Texas, and west of Fort Worth, Texas.
The host unit at Dyess is the 7th Bomb Wing assigned to the Global Strike Command Ei ...
, assigned to the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron
The 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. The squadron provides airlift to forces engaged in the War in Afghanist ...
, part of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, crashed approximately 28 seconds after takeoff
Takeoff is the phase of flight in which an aerospace vehicle leaves the ground and becomes airborne. For aircraft traveling vertically, this is known as liftoff.
For aircraft that take off horizontally, this usually involves starting with a t ...
from Jalalabad Airport
, nativename-r =
, image = Nangarhar Airport.jpg
, caption = View of the airport's control tower in 2008
, IATA = JAA
, ICAO = OAJL
, pushpin_map = Afghanistan
, pushpi ...
, Afghanistan; killing all eleven onboard (six US airmen and five civilian contractors), and three Afghan troops in a guard tower on the ground. The pilot had previously jammed the control yoke
A yoke, alternatively known as a control wheel or a control column, is a device used for piloting some fixed-wing aircraft.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 563. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. ...
with the case from night-vision goggles
A night-vision device (NVD), also known as a night optical/observation device (NOD), night-vision goggle (NVG), is an optoelectronic device that allows visualization of images in low levels of light, improving the user's night vision. The dev ...
, but forgot to remove the case again during the next takeoff.
Specifications (C-130J)
See also
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
* Borman, Martin W. ''Lockheed C-130 Hercules.'' Marlborough, UK: Crowood Press, 1999. .
* Eden, Paul. "Lockheed C-130 Hercules". ''Encyclopedia of Modern Military Aircraft.'' London: Amber Books, 2004. .
*
* Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". ''Flight International
''Flight International'' is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", it is the world's oldes ...
'', 4–10 December 2018, Volume 194, no. 5665. pp. 332–60. .
* Reed, Chris. ''Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Its Variants.'' Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 1999. .
External links
*
C-130J brochure on Lockheed Martin web site
USAF C-130 Hercules fact sheet
"The C-130J: New Hercules & Old Bottlenecks" on defenseindustrydaily.com
C-130J Super Hercules Military transport aircraft on airrecognition.com
IAF's C-130J Super Hercules Sets New World Record For Longest Non-Stop Flight which lasted 13-hour 31-minute
{{Italian military aircraft
C-130J
1990s United States military transport aircraft
Four-engined tractor aircraft
High-wing aircraft
Four-engined turboprop aircraft
J
Aircraft first flown in 1996