Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Civil and military transport

Power Plant:

Four 3,425 kw (4,591 shp) Allison GMA 2100-D3 turboprops

Specifications:

History:

In the 1990s Lockheed privately funded a development of the very successful (over 2,000 built) Hercules series, and the C-130J was the most comprehensive update of the type to date.  In 1988 Lockheed proposed to the USAF that it replace its C-130Es with the C-130H, but that service expressed a desire for a more modern aircraft with lower operating costs. Aimed at meeting USAF and export requirements, the C-130J was developed with a two-crew cockpit, new generation Allison AE2100 turboprops driving six blade all-composite Dowty propellers, a promise of a 15% better fuel consumption, an advanced electronic flight-deck with two head-up displays for primary flight instrumentation, and four large flat-screen colour liquid-crystal displays.

The first aircraft (N130JA/ZH865 – c/n 5408) was rolled out on 18 October 1995, making its first flight on 5 April 1996. First C-130J for the USAF (N130JC/94-3026 – c/n 5413) was rolled out on 20 October 1995. Subsequently the type was ordered by other nations, including Australia, Italy, Spain and Turkey. A variant of the C-130J-30 has also been made available in the Airborne Early Warning role fitted with AN/APS-145 radar. A civil variant known as the L-100J (Model 382J) was also marketed.

In December 1995 the Australian Government announced the purchase of twelve C-130J-30s with a further 24 on option, it being anticipated a few of these would be obtained for the airborne early warning role, or as tankers. During negotiations Lockheed Martin offered the C-130J to the New Zealand Government to replace the C-130Hs currently in service, offering a joint purchase with Australia for eight aircraft and operational savings from acquiring the more efficient model, but the offer was not taken up.

The first batch of aircraft for Australia was expected to be delivered in early 1997 but, due to some problems with certification, combined with aerodynamic airflow problems over the wing caused by the new propellers, delivery did not commence until 1999 when, on 7 September at RAAF Richmond, the first C-130J-30 Hercules II A97-464 was officially handed over to the RAAF.

The C-130J-30 is a stretched model, with a 457 cm (5 ft) longer fuselage, which replaced the C-130Es with No 37 squadron. This model can carry seven 463L cargo pallets, and is fitted with counter-measure dispensers, an AAR-47 missile warning system, an ALQ IR jammer, and an ALR-69 radar warning receiver. Serials allotted to the Australian C-130J-30s were: A97-440 (c/n 5440), A97-441 (c/n 5441), A97-442 (c/n 5442), A97-447 (c/n 5447), A97-448 (c/n 5448), A97-449 (c/n 5449), A97-450 (c/n 5450), A97-464 (c/n 5464), A97-465 (c/n 5465), A97-466 (c/n 5466), A97-467 (c/n 5467) and A97-468 (c/n 5468).

On 17 November 2006 the RAAFs two Hercules squadrons, Nos 36 and 37, consolidated their aircraft and personnel, forming one unit, No 37 Squadron, this unit at that time having twelve C-130Js, twelve C-130Hs and 500 personnel, No 36 being reformed at Amberley to become the C-17A unit. Plans were to withdraw four of the highest hours C-130Hs in 2007 and for the C-130H fleet to be totally retired in 2010. Since 1990 the Hercules fleet has been in almost continuous operational deployment supporting the Australian military forces in Cambodia, Somalia, East Timor, the Solomon Islands, Bali bombing evacuations, Afghanistan and Iraq etc.

In September 2014 the RAAF announced its fleet of C-130s had completed 800,000 hours of flying over a period of 50 years, the event being marked by a flight of three C-130J aircraft from No 37 Squadron over Sydney Harbour. In December 2015 Lockheed Martin delivered the 2,500th Hercules from its Marietta, Georgia production line, this being an HC-130J Combat King II personnel recovery aircraft which was assigned to the 71st Rescue Squadron based at Moody AFB at Valdosta, Georgia.

In early 2017 Lockheed Martin rolled out the first LM-100J commercial freighter variant of the C-130J from its assembly line at Marietta, Georgia, the first flight of this model scheduled to take place later that year. The LM-100J program commenced in 2014 to adapt the C-130J Super Hercules for the civil cargo market, this model having the Rolls Royce AE-2100DC engine, first production examples expected to be delivered to the ASL Aviation Group and Bravo Industries. Certification was scheduled for 2018 with deliveries to commence later that year.

On 10 June 2019 the New Zealand Defence Force Minister announced that Lockheed Martin had been awarded a contract to supply five examples of the C-130J-30 to the RNZAF, the aircraft being chosen ahead of the Airbus A-400M, Embraer KC-390 and Kawasaki C-2. The Government opted for the stretched C-130J-30 model having an extra 4.6 m (15 ft) longer fuselage providing space for an additional two pallets of freight, all aircraft to be delivered by 2023.

In 2022 the newly elected Australian Government announced it was replacing the twelve C-130J then in service with the RAAF with 24 new C-130J-30s. In the event, in mid 2023, the Government announced it had ordered 20 new C-130Js to supplement the fleet in service and replace some of the older aircraft under Project 7404 Phase 2.