The C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft is flying eastward over my residence and turning southward to approach the Davis-Monthan AFB runway from the southeast to the northwest.
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Lockheed C-130 Hercules
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_C-130_Hercules
C-130 Hercules
Straight-wing, four-engine turboprop aircraft soaring over water
USAF C-130E
Function: Military transport aircraft
Country of origin: United States
Manufacturer: Lockheed
Lockheed Martin
First flight: August 23, 1954
Status: In active service
Primary users:
United States Air Force
United States Marine Corps
Royal Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
Production: 1954–present
Total built: Over 2,500 as of 2015[1]
Unit cost:
C-130E: $11.9 million[2]
C-130H: $30.1 million[3]
Variants:
AC-130 Spectre/Spooky
Lockheed DC-130
Lockheed EC-130
Lockheed HC-130
Lockheed Martin KC-130
Lockheed LC-130
Lockheed MC-130
Lockheed WC-130
Lockheed L-100 Hercules
Evolved into: Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft originally designed and manufactured by Lockheed, which is now Lockheed Martin.
Capable of utilizing unprepared airstrips for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was initially crafted as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport aircraft. The adaptable airframe has found various applications in multiple roles, including as a gunship (AC-130), for airborne assault, search and rescue, scientific research support, weather reconnaissance, aerial refueling, maritime patrol, and aerial firefighting.
It is currently the primary tactical airlifter for numerous military forces globally. More than forty models and variants of the Hercules, including a civilian version marketed as Lockheed L-100, operate in over sixty countries.
The C-130 commenced service with the U.S. in the 1950s, followed by Australia and others. Over its years of operation, the Hercules family has partaken in countless military, civilian, and humanitarian assistance missions. In 2007, the C-130 became the fifth aircraft—after the English Electric Canberra, B-52 Stratofortress, Tu-95, and KC-135 Stratotanker—to celebrate 50 years of continuous service with its original primary customer, in this case, the U.S. Air Force. The C-130 Hercules is the longest continuously produced military aircraft at over 60 years, with the modern C-130J Super Hercules still being manufactured today.[4]
Contents [hide]
1. Design and development
1.1 Background and requirements
1.2 Design phase
1.3 Improved models
1.4 Additional enhancements
1.5 Later models
1.6 Next generation
1.7 Upgrades and modifications
1.8 Replacement
2. Operational history
2.1 Military
2.2 Civilian
3. Variants
4. Users
5. Accidents
6. Aircraft on display
6.1 Australia
6.2 Canada
6.3 Colombia
6.4 Indonesia
6.5 Norway
6.6 Saudi Arabia
6.7 United Kingdom
6.8 United States
7. Specifications (C-130H)
8. See also
9. References
10. External links
Design and development [edit]
This section requires additional citations for validation. Please assist in enhancing this article by incorporating citations to trustworthy sources. Unsourced information may be contested and removed. (February 2014)
Background and requirements [edit]
The Korean War, which commenced in June 1950, demonstrated that World War II-era piston-engine transports—such as Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars, Douglas C-47 Skytrains, and Curtiss C-46 Commandos—were inadequate for contemporary conflicts. Therefore, on February 2, 1951, the U.S. Air Force issued a General Operating Requirement (GOR) for a new transport aircraft to Boeing, Douglas, Fairchild, Lockheed, Martin, Chase Aircraft, North American, Northrop, and Airlifts Inc. The new transport would possess a capacity for 92 passengers, 72 combat troops, or 64 paratroopers within a cargo compartment that was roughly 41 feet (12 m) long, 9 feet (2.7 m) high, and 10 feet (3.0 m) wide. Unlike transports based on passenger airliners, it was to be purpose-built as a combat transport with loading from a hinged ramp at the rear of the fuselage.
A pivotal feature was the introduction of the Allison T56 turboprop engine, developed specifically for the C-130. At the time, turboprop technology was an innovative application of turbine engines utilizing exhaust gases to turn a propeller, providing enhanced range at propeller-driven speeds compared to pure turbojets, which were faster but consumed more fuel. Similar to helicopters of that era, like the UH-1 Huey, turboshafts generated significantly more power relative to their weight compared to piston engines. Lockheed later employed the same engines and technology in the Lockheed L-188 Electra. That aircraft faced financial failure in its civilian variant but was successfully transformed into the Lockheed P-3 Orion maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft, where the efficiency and endurance of turboprops excelled.
Design phase [edit]
The Hercules bore resemblance to a larger four-engine variant of the C-123 Provider, with a comparable wing and cargo ramp arrangement that evolved from the Chase XCG-20 Avitruc, which was initially conceived and flown as a cargo glider in 1947.[5] The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter likewise featured a rear ramp, enabling vehicles to be driven onto the aircraft (also possible with a forward ramp on a C-124). The ramp on the Hercules was also utilized for airdropping cargo, which encompassed low-altitude extraction for Sheridan tanks and even dropping large improvised “daisy cutter” bombs.
The new Lockheed cargo aircraft design featured a range of 1,100 nautical miles (1,270 miles; 2,040 km), capable of taking off from short and unprepared surfaces, and the ability to fly with one engine inoperative. Fairchild, North American, Martin, and Northrop opted out of participation. The remaining five companies submitted a total of ten designs: Lockheed two, Boeing one, Chase three, Douglas three, and Airlifts Inc. one. The competition became a closely contested event between the lighter of the two Lockheed (initial project designation L-206) proposals and a four-turboprop design from Douglas.
The Lockheed design team was spearheaded by Willis Hawkins, starting with a 130-page proposal for the Lockheed L-206.[6] Hall Hibbard, Lockheed’s vice president and chief engineer, reviewed the proposal and passed it on to Kelly Johnson, who expressed disinterest in the low-speed, unarmed aircraft, stating, “If you sign that letter, you’ll ruin the Lockheed Company.”[6] Both Hibbard and Johnson ultimately endorsed the proposal, leading the company to secure the contract for the now-designated Model 82 on July 2, 1951.[7]
The initial flight of the YC-130 prototype was conducted on August 23, 1954, from the Lockheed facility in Burbank, California. The aircraft, serial number 53-3397, was the second prototype but the first of the two to achieve flight. The YC-130 was piloted by Stanley Beltz and Roy Wimmer on its 61-minute journey to Edwards Air Force Base; Jack Real and Dick Stanton served as flight engineers. Kelly Johnson pursued in a Lockheed P2V Neptune.[8]
After the completion of the two prototypes, production commenced in Marietta, Georgia, where over 2,300 C-130s were manufactured by 2009.[9]
The first production model, the C-130A, was propelled by Allison T56-A-9 turboprop engines with three-blade propellers and initially fitted with the blunt nose of the prototypes. Deliveries began in December 1956, continuing until the introduction of the C-130B model in 1959. Some A-models were outfitted with skis and reclassified as C-130D.
As the C-130A became operational with Tactical Air Command (TAC), its limited range became apparent andextra fuel capacity was incorporated in the form of external pylon-mounted tanks at the tips of the wings.
Enhanced variants[edit]
A Michigan Air National Guard C-130E releases its flares during a low-level training exercise
The C-130B model was created to enhance the A-models that had been previously delivered and included new capabilities, notably expanded fuel capacity through auxiliary tanks integrated into the center wing section and an AC power system. Four-bladed Hamilton Standard propellers replaced the Aeroproducts three-blade propellers that characterized the earlier A-models. The C-130B featured ailerons with boosted pressure—3,000 psi (21 MPa) compared to 2,050 psi (14 MPa)—along with upgraded engines and four-blade propellers that remained standard until the introduction of the J-model.
An electronic reconnaissance variant of the C-130B was designated as C-130B-II. A total of 13 aircraft were modified. The C-130B-II was identifiable by its fictitious external wing fuel tanks, which hid signals intelligence (SIGINT) receiver antennas. These pods were slightly larger than the standard wing tanks found on other C-130Bs. Most aircraft included a swept blade antenna on the upper fuselage, in addition to additional wire antennas between the vertical fin and upper fuselage not found on other C-130s. The tail numbers on these planes were frequently altered to mislead onlookers and conceal their actual mission.
The extended-range C-130E model commenced service in 1962 after being developed as a temporary long-range transport for the Army Air Transport Service. Essentially a B-model, the new designation resulted from the installation of 1,360 US gal (5,150 L) Sargent Fletcher external fuel tanks beneath each wing’s midsection and more powerful Allison T56-A-7A turboprops. The hydraulic pressure for the ailerons was reduced back to 2050 psi due to the weight of the external tanks at the center of the wingspan. The E model also boasted structural improvements, avionics upgrades, and an increased gross weight. Australia received 12 C130E Hercules between 1966-67 to augment the 12 C-130A models already operational with the RAAF. Sweden and Spain operate the TP-84T version of the C-130E equipped for aerial refueling capability.
The KC-130 tankers, initially C-130F acquired for the US Marine Corps (USMC) in 1958 (under the designation GV-1), are fitted with a removable 3,600 US gal (13,626 L) stainless steel fuel tank carried inside the cargo hold. The two wing-mounted hose and drogue aerial refueling pods each transfer up to 300 US gal per minute (19 L per second) to two aircraft simultaneously, enabling quick cycle times for multi-receiver aircraft formations, (a typical tanker formation of four aircraft in less than half an hour). The US Navy’s C-130G has enhanced structural integrity allowing for higher gross weight operations.
Further enhancements[edit]
Royal Australian Air Force C-130H, 2007
The C-130H model features upgraded Allison T56-A-15 turboprops, a reconfigured outer wing, modernized avionics, and other minor enhancements. Later H models included a new, fatigue-life-improved center wing that was retrofitted to many earlier H-models. For structural reasons, certain models are required to land with specified fuel loads when carrying heavy cargo, limiting usable range.[10] The H model continues to be widely used by the US Air Force (USAF) and numerous foreign air forces. Initial deliveries began in 1964 (to the RNZAF) and continued in production until 1996. An upgraded C-130H was introduced in 1974, with Australia purchasing 12 units in 1978 to replace the original 12 C-130A models, which had first entered RAAF service in 1958.
The USA Coast Guard utilizes the HC-130H for long-range search and rescue, drug interdiction, illegal migrant patrols, homeland security, and logistics.
C-130H models manufactured from 1992 to 1996 were designated as C-130H3 by the USAF. The “3” indicates the third variation in design for the H series. Enhancements included ring laser gyros for the INUs, GPS receivers, a partial glass cockpit (ADI and HSI instruments), a more capable APN-241 color radar, night vision device-compatible instrument lighting, and an integrated radar and missile warning system. The electrical system update featured Generator Control Units (GCU) and Bus Switching Units (BSU) to provide consistent power to the more sensitive upgraded components.[citation needed]
Royal Air Force C-130K (C.3)
The equivalent model for export to the UK is the C-130K, recognized by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as the Hercules C.1. The C-130H-30 (Hercules C.3 in RAF operation) is an extended version of the original Hercules, achieved by adding a 100 in (2.54 m) plug behind the cockpit and an 80 in (2.03 m) plug at the rear of the fuselage. A single C-130K was acquired by the Meteorological Office for use by its Meteorological Research Flight, classified as the Hercules W.2. This aircraft was extensively modified (with its most notable feature being the long red and white striped atmospheric probe on the nose and the relocation of the weather radar into a pod above the forward fuselage). This plane, named Snoopy, was retired in 2001 and subsequently modified by Marshall of Cambridge Aerospace as a flight-testbed for the A400M turbine engine, the TP400. The C-130K is employed by the RAF Falcons for parachute drops. Three C-130K (Hercules C Mk.1P) were upgraded and sold to the Austrian Air Force in 2002.[11]
Subsequent models[edit]
The MC-130E Combat Talon was developed for the USAF during the Vietnam War to support special operations missions in Southeast Asia, leading to both the MC-130H Combat Talon II and a range of other specialized mission aircraft. 37 of the earliest models currently operating with the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) are set to be replaced by new-production MC-130J variants. The EC-130 Commando Solo is another special missions variant within AFSOC, albeit operated solely by an AFSOC-gained wing in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, and serves as a psychological operations/information operations (PSYOP/IO) platform equipped as an airborne radio station and television stations able to convey messaging over commercial frequencies. Other versions of the EC-130, notably the EC-130H Compass Call, are also special variants but are assigned to the Air Combat Command (ACC). The AC-130 gunship was developed during the Vietnam War to provide close air support and other ground-attack roles.
USAF HC-130P refuels a HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter
The HC-130 is a family of long-range search and rescue variants utilized by the USAF and the U.S. Coast Guard. Designed for deep deployment of Pararescuemen (PJs), survival equipment, and (in the case of USAF models) aerial refueling of combat rescue helicopters, HC-130s often serve as the on-scene command aircraft for combat SAR missions (USAF only) and non-combat SAR (USAF and USCG). Early USAF variants were also equipped with the Fulton surface-to-air recovery system, intended to retrieve individuals from the ground using a cable from a helium balloon. The John Wayne film The Green Berets showcases its use. The Fulton system was eventually removed when aerial refueling of helicopters proved to be safer and more flexible. The movie The Perfect Storm depicts a real-life SAR mission involving the aerial refueling of a New York Air National Guard HH-60G by a New York Air National Guard HC-130P.
The C-130R and C-130T are U.S. Navy and USMC models, both equipped with underwing external fuel tanks. The USN C-130T is comparable but includes further avionics enhancements.
In each variants, aircraft are outfitted with Allison T56-A-16 powerplants. The USMC types are labeled KC-130R or KC-130T when fitted with underwing refueling pods and pylons, and they are fully compatible with night vision systems.
The RC-130 is a surveillance variant. A singular example is operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, the aircraft having originally been supplied to the former Imperial Iranian Air Force.
The Lockheed L-100 (L-382) is a commercial variant, akin to a C-130E model devoid of military equipment. The L-100 also features two extended versions.
Next generation[edit]
Main article: Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules
During the 1970s, Lockheed proposed a C-130 version powered by turbofan engines instead of turboprops, but the U.S. Air Force favored the takeoff capabilities of the existing aircraft. In the 1980s, plans were made to replace the C-130 with the Advanced Medium STOL Transport project. This project was canceled, and the C-130 has continued to be produced.
Building on lessons learned, Lockheed Martin adapted a commercial variant of the C-130 into a High Technology Test Bed (HTTB). This test aircraft established numerous short takeoff and landing performance records and significantly enhanced the data pool for future C-130 variants. Changes applied to the HTTB included extended chord ailerons, a longer chord rudder, rapid-action double-slotted trailing edge flaps, a high-camber wing leading edge extension, an enlarged dorsal fin, the addition of three spoiler panels to each wing’s upper surface, an advanced long-stroke main and nose landing gear system, alongside modifications to the flight controls and a transition from direct mechanical linkages aided by hydraulic assists to fully powered controls, where the mechanical linkages from the flight station controls operated exclusively the hydraulic control valves of the respective boost unit. The HTTB first took to the skies on June 19, 1984, with civil registration N130X. After showcasing numerous new technologies, some of which were implemented in the C-130J, the HTTB was tragically lost in a fatal incident on February 3, 1993, at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia. The crash was attributed to the disconnection of the rudder fly-by-wire flight control system, leading to a complete loss of rudder control capabilities during ground minimum control speed testing (Vmcg). The disconnection stemmed from the poor design of the rudder’s integrated actuator package by its manufacturer; the operator’s insufficient system safety assessment did not account for the ramifications of the inadequate design under all operational conditions. A contributing factor to the mishap was the flight crew’s lack of engineering flight test training.
In the 1990s, the enhanced C-130J Super Hercules was developed by Lockheed (later Lockheed Martin). This model is the latest iteration and the only one currently in production. Externally resembling the traditional Hercules, the J model boasts new turboprop engines, six-bladed propellers, digital avionics, and various advanced systems.
Upgrades and modifications[edit]
In 2000, Boeing received a $1.4 billion contract to design an Avionics Modernization Program kit for the C-130. This program faced numerous delays and budget overruns until project restructuring occurred in 2007. On September 2, 2009, Bloomberg news reported that the planned Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) upgrade for the older C-130s would be discontinued to allocate more funds for the F-35, CV-22, and airborne tanker replacement initiatives. Nevertheless, in June 2010, the Department of Defense authorized financing for the initial production of the AMP upgrade kits. Under this arrangement, the USAF has permitted Boeing to commence low-rate initial production (LRIP) for the C-130 AMP. A total of 198 aircraft are anticipated to adopt the AMP upgrade. The current cost per aircraft is $14 million, although Boeing anticipates this figure will reduce to $7 million for the 69th aircraft.
An engine enhancement strategy aimed at saving fuel and achieving lower temperatures in the T56 engine has been approved, with the U.S. Air Force expecting to save $2 billion and extend the fleet’s lifespan.
Replacement[edit]
In October 2010, the Air Force issued a capabilities request for information (CRFI) for the development of a new airlifter to succeed the C-130. The new aircraft is envisioned to carry a 190% greater payload and undertake the mission of fixed vertical maneuver (MVM). The increased payload and mission would allow it to transport medium-weight armored vehicles and deploy them at locations without lengthy runways. Various options are being contemplated, including new or upgraded fixed-wing designs, rotorcraft, tiltrotors, and even airships. Development may commence in 2014, becoming operational by 2024. The C-130 fleet of approximately 450 aircraft would be supplanted by only 250 units. The Air Force had previously attempted to replace the C-130 in the 1970s through the Advanced Medium STOL Transport project, which resulted in the C-17 Globemaster III that subsequently replaced the C-141 Starlifter. The Air Force Research Laboratory financed Lockheed and Boeing demonstrators for the Speed Agile concept, aiming to create a STOL aircraft that could take off and land at speeds as low as 70 knots (130 km/h; 81 mph) on airstrips shorter than 2,000 feet (610 m) and cruise at Mach 0.8-plus. Boeing’s design employed upper-surface blowing from embedded engines in the inboard wing and blown flaps for airflow control on the outboard wing. Lockheed’s design also implemented blown flaps outboard, but inboard utilized patented reversing ejector nozzles. Boeing’s design completed over 2,000 hours of wind tunnel testing by late 2009. It was a 5 percent-scale model of a narrowbody design capable of a 55,000 lb (25,000 kg) payload. When the AFRL increased the payload requirement to 65,000 lb (29,000 kg), they examined a 5% scale model of a widebody design featuring a 303,000 lb (137,000 kg) take-off gross weight and an “A400M-size” 158 in (4.0 m) wide cargo bay. It would be powered by four IAE V2533 turbofans. In August 2011, the AFRL released images of the Lockheed Speed Agile concept demonstrator. A 23% scale model underwent wind tunnel testing to demonstrate its hybrid powered lift, merging a low drag airframe with straightforward mechanical assembly to minimize weight and improve aerodynamics. The model featured four engines, including two Williams FJ44 turbofans. On March 26, 2013, Boeing was awarded a patent for its swept-wing powered lift aircraft.
As of January 2014, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Materiel Command, and the Air Force Research Lab are in the preliminary stages of defining requirements for the C-X next-generation airlifter program, aimed at replacing both the C-130 and C-17. An aircraft could be produced from the early 2030s to the 2040s. If requirements are established for operating in contested airspace, the acquisition of C-130s would cease by the end of the decade to ensure they are not operational by the 2030s in environments where they cannot function effectively. Development of the airlifter is heavily reliant on the Army’s “tactical and operational maneuver” plans. Two different cargo planes may still be created to distinctly perform tactical and strategic missions, but the direction to pursue must be determined before C-17s need to be retired.
Operational history[edit]
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also face challenges and be discontinued. (February 2014)
Army[edit]
USMC KC-130F Hercules executing takeoffs and landings aboard the aircraft carrier Forrestal in 1963. This aircraft is currently on display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation.
The fundamental production aircraft, C-130As were initially delivered starting in 1956 to the 463d Troop Service Wing at Ardmore AFB, Oklahoma, and the 314th Troop Service Wing at Sewart AFB, Tennessee. An additional six squadrons were assigned to the 322d Air Division in Europe and the 315th Air Division in the Far East. More aircraft were adapted for electronic intelligence missions and assigned to Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, while modified RC-130As were allocated to the Army Air Transport Service (MATS) photomapping division.
In 1958, a U.S. reconnaissance C-130A-II belonging to the 7406th Support Squadron was shot down over Armenia by MiG-17s.[28]
Australia became the first non-American force to utilize the C-130A Hercules, with 12 units being delivered from late 1958. These planes were equipped with AeroProducts three-blade, 15-foot diameter propellers. The Royal Canadian Air Force also became an early operator, receiving four B-models (designated C-130 Mk I in Canada) in October/November 1960.[29]
In 1963, a Hercules achieved and continues to hold the record for being the largest and heaviest aircraft to land on an aircraft carrier.[30] During October and November of that year, a USMC KC-130F (BuNo 149798), borrowed by the U.S. Naval Air Test Center, accomplished 29 touch-and-go landings, 21 unarrested full-stop landings, and 21 unassisted take-offs aboard Forrestal at a variety of weights.[31] The pilot, LT (later RADM) James H. Flatley III, USN, received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his role in this testing series. The evaluations were extremely successful; however, the concept was deemed too perilous for routine “Carrier Onboard Delivery” (COD) operations. Consequently, the Grumman C-2 Greyhound was designed as a dedicated COD aircraft. The Hercules utilized in the testing, which remained in service with Marine Aerial Refueler Squadron 352 (VMGR-352) until 2005, is now part of the collection at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in NAS Pensacola, Florida.
In 1964, C-130 crews from the 6315th Operations Group at Naha Air Base, Okinawa began forward air control (FAC, “Flare”) missions over the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos, supporting USAF strike aircraft. By April 1965, the mission expanded into North Vietnam, where C-130 crews led formations of B-57 bombers on nighttime reconnaissance/strike missions targeting communist supply lines leading to South Vietnam. In early 1966, Project Blind Bat/Lamplighter was initiated at Ubon RTAFB, Thailand. Following the relocation to Ubon, the mission evolved into a four-engine FAC operation, with C-130 crews identifying targets and calling in strike aircraft. A lesser-known C-130 mission flown by crews from Naha was Operation Commando Scarf, which involved dispensing chemicals over sections of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos designed to create mudslides and block truck routes.[citation needed]
In November 1964, on the opposite side of the globe, C-130Es from the 464th Troop Service Wing, though temporarily assigned to the 322d Air Division in France, undertook some of the most dramatic missions in history in the former Belgian Congo. After communist Simba rebels took white residents of Stanleyville hostage, the U.S. and Belgium devised a joint rescue operation using C-130s to airlift and subsequently drop and air-land a contingent of Belgian paratroopers to rescue the captives. Two missions were executed, one over Stanleyville and another over Paulis during the Thanksgiving period.[32] This headline-grabbing mission resulted in the inaugural presentation of the distinguished MacKay Trophy to the C-130 crews.
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, in a desperate measure, the transport No. 6 Squadron of the Pakistan Air Force converted its entire limited fleet of C-130Bs for use as heavy bombers, capable of carrying up to 20,000 lb (9,072 kg) of ordnance on pallets. These makeshift bombers targeted Indian installations, such as bridges, heavy artillery sites, tank formations, and troop concentrations.[33][34] Some C-130s even operated with anti-aircraft guns mounted on their ramp, reportedly downing approximately 17 aircraft and damaging another 16.[35]
The C-130 Hercules was utilized in the Battle of Kham Duc in 1968 when North Vietnamese forces compelled U.S.-led troops to abandon the Kham Duc Special Forces Camp.
In October 1968, a C-130Bs from the 463rd Tactical Airlift Wing dropped a pair of M-121 10,000-pound bombs designed for the massive B-36 bomber but never previously deployed. The U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force revived these massive munitions to clear landing zones for helicopters, and early in 1969, the 463rd began Commando Vault missions. Although the declared intention of COMMANDO VAULT was to clear LZs, they were also employed against enemy base camps and other objectives.[citation needed]
Throughout the late 1960s, the U.S. sought intelligence on Chinese nuclear capabilities. Following the unsuccessful attempt by the Black Cat Squadron to position operational sensor pods near the Lop Nur Nuclear Weapons Test Base using a Lockheed U-2, the CIA devised a plan known as Heavy Tea to deploy two battery-powered sensor pallets in the vicinity. To facilitate the deployment of these pallets, a Black Bat Squadron crew was trained in the U.S. to operate the C-130 Hercules. The 12-member crew, led by Col Sun Pei Zhen, took off from Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in an unmarked U.S. Air Force C-130E on May 17, 1969. Flying at low altitude for six and a half hours under the cover of darkness, they arrived at the target and dropped the sensor pallets via parachute near Anxi in Gansu province. After another six and a half hours of low-altitude flight, they returned to Takhli. The sensors functioned and transmitted data to a U.S. intelligence satellite for six months before their batteries depleted. The Chinese conducted two nuclear tests on September 22, 1969, and September 29, 1969, during the operational period of the sensor pallets. A subsequent mission to the region was planned as Operation Golden Whip, but was cancelled in 1970.[36] It is highly likely that the aircraft utilized for this mission was either C-130E serial number 64-0506 or 64-0507 (cn 382-3990 and 382-3991). These two planes were delivered to Air America in 1964.[37] After their return to the U.S. Air Force sometime between 1966 and 1970, they were reassigned serial numbers of C-130s that had been lost in accidents. 64-0506 is now operational as 62-1843, a C-130E that crashed in Vietnam on December 20, 1965, and 64-0507 is currently flying as 63-7785, a C-130E that crashed in Vietnam on June 17, 1966.[38]
The A-model continued to operate through the Vietnam War, where the aircraft designated to the four squadrons at Naha AB, Okinawa, and one at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan performed invaluable service, including executing highly classified special operations such as the BLIND BAT FAC/Flare mission and the FACT SHEET leaflet mission over Laos and North Vietnam. The A-model was also provided to the South Vietnamese Air Force as part of the Vietnamization initiative at the conflict’s conclusion, equipping three squadrons stationed at Tan Son Nhut AFB. The last operator globally is the Honduran Air Force, which remains in possession of one of five A-model Hercules (FAH 558, c/n 3042) as of October 2009.[39] As the Vietnam War concluded, the 463rd Troop Service/TacticalAirlift Wing B-models and A-models of the 374th Tactical Airlift Wing had once more been relocated to the United States, where the majority had been allocated to Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units.
U.S. Marines disembark from C-130 transports at Da Nang Airbase on 8 March 1965.
Another prominent role for the B model was with the US Marine Corps, where Hercules, initially referred to as GV-1s, replaced C-119s. After Air Force C-130Ds demonstrated the variant’s potential in Antarctica, the U.S. Navy acquired several B-models fitted with skis, designated as LC-130s. C-130B-II electronic reconnaissance aircraft were operated under the SUN VALLEY program name primarily from Yokota Air Base, Japan. All reverted to standard C-130B cargo planes after their replacement in the reconnaissance role by other aircraft.
The C-130 was additionally utilized during the 1976 Entebbe raid where Israeli commando forces executed a surprise mission to rescue 103 passengers from an airliner hijacked by Palestinian and German terrorists at Entebbe Airport, Uganda. The rescue team — comprising 200 soldiers, jeeps, and a black Mercedes-Benz (intended to mimic Ugandan Dictator Idi Amin’s state vehicle) — was flown over 2,200 nautical miles (4,074 km; 2,532 mi) almost entirely at an altitude below 100 feet (30 m) from Israel to Entebbe utilizing four Israeli Air Force (IAF) Hercules aircraft without mid-air refueling (on the return trip, the planes refueled in Nairobi, Kenya).
During the Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas) in 1982, Argentine Air Force C-130s undertook extremely hazardous, daily resupply flights at night as blockade runners to the Argentine garrison on the Falkland Islands. They also conducted daylight maritime reconnaissance flights. One was lost during the conflict. Argentina operated two KC-130 tankers during the war, which refueled both the Douglas A-4 Skyhawks and Navy Dassault-Breguet Super Étenards; some C-130s were modified to function as bombers equipped with bomb-racks beneath their wings. The British also deployed RAF C-130s to support their logistics efforts.
USMC C-130T Fat Albert conducting a rocket-assisted takeoff (RATO).
During the Gulf War of 1991 (Operation Desert Storm), the C-130 Hercules was operationally utilized by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps, alongside the air forces of Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and the UK. The MC-130 Combat Talon variant also executed the initial strikes using the world’s largest conventional bombs, the BLU-82 “Daisy Cutter” and GBU-43/B “Massive Ordnance Air Blast” bomb (MOAB). Daisy Cutters were utilized to clear landing zones and eliminate minefields. The size and weight of these weapons render them impossible or impractical to load onto conventional bombers. The GBU-43/B MOAB serves as a successor to the BLU-82 and can fulfill the same role, as well as conduct strikes against fortified targets in a low air threat environment.
Since 1992, two consecutive C-130 aircraft named Fat Albert have operated as the support aircraft for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration team. Fat Albert I was a TC-130G (151891), while Fat Albert II is a C-130T (164763). Although Fat Albert supports a Navy squadron, it is managed by the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), and its crew consists solely of USMC personnel. At several air shows featuring the team, Fat Albert participates, performing flyovers. Until 2009, it also showcased its rocket-assisted takeoff (RATO) capabilities, which ceased due to dwindling rocket supplies.
The AC-130 also holds the record for the longest sustained flight by a C-130. From 22 to 24 October 1997, two AC-130U gunships flew continuously for 36 hours from Hurlburt Field, Florida, to Taegu (Daegu), South Korea, while being refueled seven times by KC-135 tanker aircraft. This record-breaking flight surpassed the previous longest flight by more than 10 hours, as the two gunships took on 410,000 pounds (190,000 kg) of fuel. The gunship has been utilized in every major U.S. combat operation since Vietnam, except for Operation El Dorado Canyon, the 1986 strike on Libya.
C-130 Hercules executing a tactical landing on a dirt strip.
During the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and the ongoing support of the International Security Assistance Force (Operation Enduring Freedom), the C-130 Hercules has been actively used by Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, the UK, and the U.S.
During the 2003 invasion of Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom), the C-130 Hercules was operationally employed by Australia, the UK, and the U.S. After the initial invasion, C-130 operators within the Multinational Force in Iraq utilized their C-130s to support their units in Iraq.
Since 2004, the Pakistan Air Force has deployed C-130s in the War in North-West Pakistan. Some variants were equipped with forward-looking infrared (FLIR Systems Star Safire III EO/IR) sensor balls to enable close monitoring of Islamist militants.
Civilian
A C-130E equipped with a MAFFS-1 dropping fire retardant.
The U.S. Forest Service developed the Modular Airborne FireFighting System for the C-130 in the 1970s, which allows conventional aircraft to be rapidly converted into air tankers for combating wildfires. In the late 1980s, 22 retired USAF C-130As were removed from storage at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and transferred to the U.S. Forest Service, which then sold them to six private companies to be converted into air tankers (see U.S. Forest Service airtanker controversy). After one of these aircraft crashed due to wing separation in-flight caused by fatigue stress cracking, the entire fleet of C-130A air tankers was permanently grounded in 2004 (see 2002 airtanker accidents). C-130s have been employed to dispense chemical dispersants onto the extensive oil slick in the Gulf Coast in 2010.
A recent development of a C-130–based airtanker is the Retardant Aerial Delivery System created by Coulson Aviation USA. This system consists of a C-130H/Q retrofitted with an in-ground discharge system, combined with a detachable 3,500 or 4,000-gallon water tank. The combined system is FAA certified.
Variants
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C-130H Hercules flight deck
A U.S. JC-130 aircraft retrieving a reconnaissance satellite film capsule under parachute.
C-130s from the: U.S., Canada, Australia and Israel (foreground to background).
RAAF C-130J-30 at Point Cook, 2006.
Brazilian Air Force C-130 (L-382).
For civilian versions, see Lockheed L-100 Hercules.
Key military variants of the C-130 include:
C-130A/B/E/F/G/H/K/T
Tactical airlifter base models
C-130A-II Dreamboat
Early type Electronic Intelligence/Signals Intelligence (ELINT/SIGINT) aircraft
C-130J Super Hercules
Tactical airlifter, featuring new engines, avionics, and updated systems
C-130K
Designation for RAF Hercules C1/W2/C3 aircraft (C-130Js in RAF service are Hercules C.4 and Hercules C.5)
AC-130A/E/H/J/U/W
Gunship variants
C-130D/D-6
Ski-equipped variant for snow and ice operations United States Air Force / Air National Guard
CC-130E/H/J Hercules
Designation for Canadian Armed Forces / Royal Canadian Air Force Hercules aircraft. U.S. Air Force utilized the CC-130J designation to differentiate standard C-130Js from “stretched” C-130Js (Company designation C-130J-30s).
DC-130A/E/H
USAF and USN Drone control
EC-130
EC-130E/J Commando Solo – USAF / Air National Guard psychological operations variant
EC-130E – Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC)
EC-130E Rivet Rider – Airborne psychological warfare aircraft
EC-130H Compass Call – Electronic warfare and electronic assault.
EC-130V – Airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) variant utilized by USCG for counter-narcotics missions.
GC-130
Completely Grounded “Static Display”
HC-130
HC-130B/E/H – Early model combat search and rescue
HC-130P/N Combat King – USAF aerial refueling tanker and combat search and rescue
HC-130J Combat King II – Next-generation combat search and rescue tanker
HC-130H/J – USCG long-range reconnaissance and search and rescue
JC-130
Short-term conversion for flight test operations
KC-130F/R/T/J
United States Marine Corps aerial refueling tanker and tactical airlifter
LC-130F/H/R
USAF / Air National Guard – Ski-equipped version for Arctic and Antarctic support operations; LC-130F previously operated by USN
MC-130
MC-130E/H Combat Talon I/II – Special operations infiltration/extraction variant
MC-130W Combat Spear/Dragon Spear – Special operations tanker/gunship
MC-130P Combat Shadow – Special operations tanker
MC-130J Commando II (formerly Combat Shadow II) – Special operations tanker Air Force Special Operations Command
YMC-130H – Modified aircraft under Operation Credible Sport for a second Iran hostage crisis rescue attempt
NC-130
Permanent conversion for flight test operations
PC-130/C-130-MP
Maritime patrol
RC-130A/S
Surveillance aircraft for reconnaissance
SC-130J Sea Herc
Proposed maritime patrol variant of the C-130J, designed for coastal surveillance and anti-submarine warfare.
TC-130
Aircrew training
VC-130H
VIP transport
WC-130A/B/E/H/J
Weather reconnaissance (“Hurricane Hunter”) variant for USAF / Air Force Reserve Command’s 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron in support of the National Weather Service’s National Hurricane Center.
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