C-130J Super Hercules
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| C-130J "Super" Hercules | |
|---|---|
 A C-130J from the Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing at Channel Island ANG Base, California flies along the coast of Santa Cruz Island near California. |
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| Type | STOL military transport aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin |
| Maiden flight | 5 April 1996 |
| Introduction | 1999 |
| Status | In production |
| Primary users | United States Air Force United States Marine Corps Royal Air Force Italian Air Force |
| Unit cost | $66.5 million (C-130J)[1] |
| Developed from | C-130 Hercules |
| Variants | Lockheed Martin EC-130J Lockheed Martin WC-130J |
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. The C-130J is a comprehensive update of the venerable Lockheed C-130 Hercules, with new engines, cockpit, and other systems. The Hercules family has the longest continuous production run of any military aircraft in history. During more than 50 years of service the family has participated in military, civilian and humanitarian aid operations. The Hercules has also outlived several planned successor designs, most notably the Advanced Medium STOL Transport contestants.
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[edit] Design and development
The C-130J "Super" Hercules is the newest version of the Hercules and the only model still in production. Externally similar to the classic Hercules in general appearance, the J model is a very different aircraft. These differences include new Rolls-Royce AE 2100 turboprops with six-bladed composite scimitar propellers, digital avionics (including Head-Up Displays (HUDs) for each pilot), reduced crew requirements (2 pilots — no navigator or flight engineer), increased reliability and up to 27% lower operating costs. The C-130J is available in a standard-length or stretched -30 variant. Lockheed Martin received the launch order for the J from the RAF, who ordered 25 aircraft, with first deliveries beginning in 1999 as Hercules C. Mk 4 (C-130J-30) and Hercules C. Mk 5 (C-130J).
[edit] Operational history
The largest operator of the new model will be the USAF, who are ordering the aircraft in increasing numbers, although as of 2005 Congress announced C-130J acquisition would be dramatically cut.[citation needed] Current operators of the C-130J are the USAF, United States Marine Corps (KC-130J tanker), U.S. Air National Guard, United States Coast Guard, Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Danish Air Force and the Italian Air Force. Total procurement of C-130J aircraft has reached 186 orders as of December 2006.[2]
Lockheed Martin has offered to lease four C-130Js to the German Luftwaffe, which has been awaiting a Transall replacement set for 2010 (the Airbus A400M), but the deal was rejected.
The Indian Air Force has submitted a request for the purchase of six C-130J aircraft. The sale was completed in early 2008 at a cost of US$ 1.059 billion.[3] It is a package deal with the US government under its Foreign Military Sales Program (FMS), and India has retained options to buy six more of these aircraft for its special forces for combined army-air force operations.[4]
The Canadian Forces signed a US$1.4 billion contract with Lockheed Martin for 17 new C-130J-30s on January 16, 2008, as part of the procurement process to replace the existing CC-130E and H models.[5] The C-130J will be officially designated CC-130J Hercules in Canadian Forces service.[6]
The Royal Norwegian Air Force has decided to purchase four C-130Js to reinforce their transport capacity when it was discovered that their forty-year-old C-130s were unserviceable during a wing change.[7]
[edit] Variants
- C-130J
- Tactical airlifter
- C-130J-30
- Variant with 15ft longer fuselage.
- KC-130J
- United States Marine Corps aerial refueling tanker and tactical airlifter
- WC-130J
- weather reconnaissance ("Hurricane Hunter") version for US Air Force Air Force Reserve Command
- CC-130J Hercules
- Canadian Forces designation for the C-130J
- Hercules C4
- RAF designation for the C-130J-30
- Hercules C5
- RAF designation for the C-130J
[edit] Operators
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- Canadian Forces Air Command - 17 to be delivered starting in 2010
- Danish Air Force - 4
- Indian Air Force - 6 to be delivered starting in 2011
- Italian Air Force - 24 (6 KC-130J kit)[8]
- Royal Norwegian Air Force - 4 to be delivered starting in 2008
- Royal Air Force - 25[9]
- United States Air Force - 65 (32 active duty, 22 Air National Guard, 11 Air Force Reserve)[10]
- United States Coast Guard - 6
- United States Marine Corps - 29 KC-130J
[edit] Specifications (C-130J)
Data from USAF C-130 Hercules fact sheet[11] The International Directory of Military Aircraft, 2002-2003 [12]
General characteristics
- Crew: 4-6 (at least 2 pilots, crew chief, and 1 loadmaster; additional loadmaster and navigator are usually part of the crew)
- Capacity: * 92 passengers or
- 64 airborne troops or
- 74 litter patients with 2 medical personnel
- Payload: 42,000 lb (19,090 kg) including 2-3 Humvees or an M113 Armored Personnel Carrier
- Length: 97 ft 9 in (29.79 m)
- Wingspan: 132 ft 7 in (40.41 m)
- Height: 38 ft 10 in (11.84 m)
- Wing area: 1,745 ft² (162.1 m²)
- Empty weight: 75,562 lb (34,274 kg)
- Useful load: 72,000 lb (33,000 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 155,000 lb (70,305 kg)
- Powerplant: 4× Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprops, 4,637 shp (3,458 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 362 knots (417 mph, 671 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 348 knots, 644 km/h (400 mph, 643 km/h)
- Range: 2,835 nm (3,262 mi, 5,250 km)
- Service ceiling 28,000 ft, 8,540 m (8,615 m)
[edit] See also
Related development
- C-130 Hercules
- Lockheed AC-130
- Lockheed DC-130
- Lockheed EC-130
- Lockheed HC-130
- Lockheed LC-130
- Lockheed MC-130
- Lockheed WC-130
Comparable aircraft
Related lists
- List of active United Kingdom military aircraft
- List of active United States military aircraft
- List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force
- List of C-130 Hercules crashes
[edit] References
- ^ C-130J Hercules. GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved on 2006-09-12.
- ^ "News Breaks", Aviation Week & Space Technology, 18 December 2006.
- ^ Defence Security Cooperation Agency (News Release)
- ^ India signs agreement for Hercules aircraft. Indian Defense Research Wing (February 6, 2008).
- ^ Flight International - Canada signs $1.4bn contract for 17 Lockheed Martin C-130Js. Retrieved on 2008-01-17.
- ^ Public Works and Government Services Canada - PWGSC announces next step in procuring tactical airlift fleet. Retrieved on 2007-08-08.
- ^ Contract for new transport planes signed Norwegian Defence Force website
- ^ KC-130J at deagel.com.
- ^ Lockheed Martin Completes C-130J Deliveries for 2001. Lockheed Martin UK. Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
- ^ Craig Hoyle, Lockheed Martin delivers 100th C-130J for US customer. May 1, 2008. Retrieved on May 2, 2008.
- ^ USAF C-130 Hercules fact sheet (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-22.
- ^ Frawley, Gerard (2002). The International Directory of Military Aircraft, 2002-2003. Fyshwick, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 108. ISBN 1-875671-55-2.
[edit] External links
- C-130 Hercules product page and C-130J brochure on Lockheed Martin web site
- USAF C-130 Hercules fact sheet
- C-130J Specification Book
- C-130 page on GlobalSecurity.org
- HerkyBirds.com 9000+ C-130 images
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