2016
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India is set to position its second squadron of special operations aircraft C-130J in Panagarh, West Bengal, to increase flying in areas close to the disputed boundary with China. “The second squadron of C-130J would be located at Panagarh. The flying will start by March-April 2017,” Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said here on Wednesday ahead of his retirement on December 31. The mountain strike corps being raised by the army would eventually be located at Panagarh. India currently has 13 corps – 10 defensive and 3 offensive corps – 1, 2, and 21 based in Mathura, Ambala and Bhopal. The 17 corps will be the first one to have specific capabilities to fight in the mountai…
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An Indonesian Air Force C-130H (#A-1334) c/n 4785 has crashed into mountains in Kampung Minimo, Maima district in the East of the country on December 18, killing all 13 on board. Air Force chief of staff Agus Supriatna reported the C-130 was carrying 12 tons of food supplies and cement from Timika to Wamena, a distance of about 200 kilometers (125 miles), The Hercules took off from Timika at 05.35 hrs local time and was expected to land in Wamena at 06.13 hrs. Contact was lost 10 minutes before the scheduled landing. Search and Rescue personnel were dispatched to area and reached the scene an hour later and recovered all the bodies who were taken to Wamena. …
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C-130 News: Pakistan International Airlines Flying C-130 Military Plane for Passenger Service?!
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After the tragic crash of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK 661 a week ago, the airline grounded all ATR aircraft so they could thoroughly inspect them. PIA had 10 of these aircraft, and a number of flights were suspended until further notice as a result. The Chairman of PIA Azam Saigol resigned a few days ago, citing “personal reasons,” though some sources said that the government Wan't happy with the chairman following the crash. After the tragic crash of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK 661 a week ago, the airline grounded all ATR aircraft so they could thoroughly inspect them. PIA had 10 of these aircraft, and a number of flights wer…
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The airdrops of paratroopers symbolizing the role the 314th Troop Carrier Group – the 314th AW’s predecessor -- played during the Normandy invasion of World War II. During the invasion, the 314th TCG delivered paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division over Normandy, France. This is the first time the 314th AW has been able to participate in the D-Day commemorative events. The airdrops of paratroopers symbolizing the role the 314th Troop Carrier Group – the 314th AW’s predecessor -- played during the Normandy invasion of World War II. During the invasion, the 314th TCG delivered paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division over Normandy, France. This is the f…
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Military operations are complex. Attacking an adversary requires significant coordination and communication between a commander and their fighters. The fog and friction of war means that even the best laid plans are often adapted on the fly, and competent leaders need the ability to redirect their forces in real-time in order to react to enemy actions. If a commander can’t issue orders, his capabilities are severely degraded and his likelihood of success plummets. Attacking those lines of communication is an effective, innovative way to reduce an enemy’s capability. The U.S. Air Force knows this, and they use that knowledge every day in the fight against the Islamic St…
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Military operations are complex. Attacking an adversary requires significant coordination and communication between a commander and their fighters. The fog and friction of war means that even the best laid plans are often adapted on the fly, and competent leaders need the ability to redirect their forces in real-time in order to react to enemy actions. If a commander can’t issue orders, his capabilities are severely degraded and his likelihood of success plummets. Military operations are complex. Attacking an adversary requires significant coordination and communication between a commander and their fighters. The fog and friction of war means that even the best…
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Saber Junction is U.S. Army Europe's annual combat training center certification exercise designed to evaluate the readiness of one of its two combat brigades to conduct unified land operations (a simultaneous combination of offensive, defensive and stability missions), with an emphasis on tactical interoperability among allied and partner-nation forces. This year the exercise focused on the 173rd Airborne Brigade, Vincenza, Italy, and took place from March 31 - April 24. Saber Junction is U.S. Army Europe's annual combat training center certification exercise designed to evaluate the readiness of one of its two combat brigades to conduct unified land operation…
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The weather conditions are treacherous. But that's to be expected for members of the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing who participate in the U.S. Air Force's Operation Deep Freeze mission in Antarctica. Members in charge of flight operations wrestle with unexpected challenges when delivering supplies and cargo to scientists conducting research at the southernmost point of Earth's surface. The weather conditions are treacherous. But that's to be expected for members of the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing who participate in the U.S. Air Force's Operation Deep Freeze mission in Antarctica. Members in charge of flight ope…
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The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing oversees the busiest aerial port of debarkation in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The wing plays a major logistical role in getting needed supplies downrange. The C-130H Hercules in particular stands out as the only aircraft versatile enough to help the 386th complete this mission. “A lot of places that (C-130s) are going to are unimproved strips, smaller strips, air strips that are as small as 3,000 feet,” said Maj. Ken Fechter, 386th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Aircraft Maintenance Unit officer in charge. SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing oversees the busiest aerial port o…
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Military members from the U.S. Air Force, Coast Guard and Navy, with international support from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Royal Australian Air Force are joining forces to airdrop and deliver donated toys, clothes, food items and other necessities to remote islands across the Pacific Ocean as part of Operation Christmas Drop 2016. The annual training mission officially kicked off during a ceremony Dec. 6 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, where military leaders across the island pushed the first pallet of donated goods into a C-130 Hercules. Military members from the U.S. Air Force, Coast Guard and Navy, with international support from the Japan Air…
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Lockheed Martin Corp.’s unit, Rotary and Mission Systems, has won a modification contract from the U.S. Navy to incorporate the data integrity requirement into the current avionics obsolescence upgrade effort for the C-130T aircraft. Contract Details The contract is valued at $16.1 million. It was awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MA. Work is scheduled to be complete by Mar 2018. Majority of the work will be performed in Ottawa, Canada, while the rest in Owego, NY. The contract will use fiscal 2015 and 2016 aircraft procurement funds (Navy). Lockheed Martin Corp.’s unit, Rotary and Mission Systems, has won a modification con…
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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Santa Claus traded his sleigh and eight magically motivated reindeer for an Alaska Air National Guard C-130 Hercules during a Dec. 3, 2016, visit to Akiachak. Saint Nick’s journey to the Western Alaska village marked 59 years for Operation Santa Claus, an Alaska National Guard community-outreach effort dependent upon a legion of elfin volunteers as well as volunteers from Alaska businesses, non-profit organizations, and many who are supportive of the program. Though the magic hooves of Donner and Blitzen were temporarily replaced by the propeller blast of the 144th Airlift Squadron Hercules’ four turbine engines, Santa and M…
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Coulson’s Tanker 131 concluded its 2016 fire season in the United States on November 30, racking up 350 hours of flight time and 520 drops for a total of 1.77 million gallons delivered over wildfires — an average of 3,404 gallons per drop. Next on its schedule is a flight down under to Australia where it will join, at least within the same country if not the same state, its sister, Tanker 132 which has been there since September 6, 2016. Source: http://fireaviation.com/2016/12/03/update-on-coulsons-c-130s/ View full article
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Air Force C-130 cargo aircraft designed for firefighting may be used to help battle deadly wildfires scorching thousands of acres in Tennessee, an official said. Air Force Reserve Command is standing by to deploy C-130s equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System, or MAFFS, which drop hundreds of pounds of fire retardant, according to Ann Skarban, a spokeswoman for the Air Force's 302nd Airlift Wing. The U.S. Forest Service, the entity responsible for requesting the MAFFS units, hasn't yet determined whether it will require the aircraft but a plan is in place if necessary, Skarban said. The 302nd Airlift Wing, which houses the aircraft at Peterso…
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A C-130J Super Hercules comes to a screeching halt on a runway less than half the length of those typically used at stateside airfields. The cargo bay door is opened onto a pitch black airstrip – a shock for those used to seeing bright lights guiding pilots down the ramp. The airfield is near Farah, a remote location in western Afghanistan. For C-130J pilots belonging to the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron out of Bagram Airfield this is exactly the atypical situation they train for. “The crews always love the challenge – getting the Herk dirty, that’s what we live for,” said Lt. Col. Sarah Santoro, the 774th EAS commander. Afghanistan has been called the “He…
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C-130 Modernization The Air Force is progressing with a massive technological overhaul of its warzone-tested C-130 aircraft, giving the platform new radios, digital avionics, collision avoidance technology and reinforced "wing-boxes," service officials said. The Air Force remains vigilant about its C-130 fleet to ensure the airframes, wingboxes, avionics and communication systems remain safe and operational well into the 2030s and beyond. This is particularly true of the older 1980s-era C-130Hs, Air Force developers explained. “The thing that causes the greatest risk to the airplane is the life of the wing. We monitor the wing of the aircraft and as the …
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3976 After more than 52 years in service, the last C-130E, Tail No. 9815, departed Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, on a flatbed truck to Vandenberg Airport in Evansville, Indiana. It will be used to train law enforcement, Homeland Security personnel and firefighters to practice real-world scenarios. “The aircraft served in various missions,” said Willie Goodwin, 19th Maintenance Group Engineering and technical services specialist. “It was one of the last E models to fly combat missions in Iraq.” It retired Dec. 9, 2011, after a tornado damaged the right wing of a C-130H. Despite the E model being in good condition, its right wing was given to the C-1…
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When Lockheed designed the C-130 Hercules in Marietta in the 1950s, company engineer Kelly Johnson said they would be lucky to sell a hundred. In 2015, Tony Frese, Lockheed Martin’s vice president and deputy program manager of C-130 Programs, delivered number 2,500. “Here we are 60 years later,” said Frese. “So we always are quite thankful that Kelly Johnson, a brilliant man, got that one piece wrong.” That engineer, Johnson, was working on sleek reconnaissance jets. The Hercules, by comparison, is clunky, with large propellers, a heavy tail and a belly big enough to fit a bulldozer. But that’s been the massive transport plane’s secret to long life. I…
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Only a quarter of France's Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transport fleet is available for service at any point in time, official figures show. According to the numbers, the availability of France's 14 C-130s reached a nadir in 2015 with a weak 26.2% availability rate, equivalent to only 3 or 4 aircraft flyable at any time. An aircraft is said to be available when it can fulfil its mission within six hours of schedule. France's C-130 fleet, now 30 years old on average, had a 72% availability rate in 2011 but this has since been steadily going down. However an upgrade program was decided on in the middle of the year, with the delivery of modernized aircraft expec…
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The wheels of the first Iraqi Air Force C-130 Hercules touched down at Qayyarah West Airfield. Iraq, Nov. 11, 2016. The tactical airlift workhorse, loaded with supplies and equipment to resupply the Mosul offensive. The landing was much more than routine. It was symbolic. It represented the first time a fixed wing Iraqi aircraft loaded with cargo landed at the strategic airfield since it fell to Da'esh fighters in 2014. A U.S. Air Force Airman vectored the aircraft into the airspace while others marshaled in and offloaded the Iraqi C-130. These Airmen serve as some of the only ground-based Air Force personnel at Qayyarah West. Assigned to the 821st Contingency …
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A vehicle roars out of the back of an MC-130 at high speed, while nearby a man moves around in a virtual-reality headset. Above, winches are lowered and raised on a platform adorned with a Christmas tree. And at the center of it sits a former taco truck, now equipped with a really, really big gun. It’s not a fever dream of an Air Force maintainer, although it’s not far off. It’s the reality of Kirtland Air Force Base's “Monster Garage,” a key and innovative part of training airmen from the US Air Force Special Operation Command (AFSOC). During a visit to Kirtland in September, reporters accompanying Secretary of Defense Ash Carter got to tour the Garage in person, g…
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The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) marked the completion of a major upgrade of all 17 CC-130J Hercules aircraft on Oct. 18, keeping Canada’s CC-130J Hercules at the forefront of airlift operations. The 17th and last upgraded Hercules was received on Oct. 13, 2016. The modifications include significant improvements to navigation, communication, and maintenance capabilities. The Hercules model J can now fly more efficiently amongst large commercial aircraft in heavily congested and controlled airspace and perform much more fuel-efficient long-range flights. It can now also conduct approaches in poor visibility and receive critical mission information from allied groun…
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Since its activation in 2002, the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing has been pivotal in the battle against violent extremism. The wing’s primary focus is delivering decisive airpower throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in order to provide stability to the region, a job that currently encompasses three separate flying missions. The wing’s traditional role in the fight has been providing tactical mobility airlift to coalition forces in the AOR. While this has been a steady, enduring mission for nearly fifteen years now, the start of Operation Inherent Resolve has brought new focus to the wing’s operations. “We’re the busiest aerial port in the t…
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The LM-100J Super Hercules (c/n 5818 ) commercial freighter is moving through pivotal production milestones, most recently completing body mate and wing installation at the Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) facility here. The LM-100J is the commercial version of Lockheed Martin’s proven C-130J Super Hercules aircraft — the unmatched tactical military airlifter of choice for 17 nations. The LM-100J will perform as a commercial, multi-purpose air freighter capable of rapid and efficient cargo transport. The LM-100J Super Hercules (c/n 5818 ) commercial freighter is moving through pivotal production milestones, most recently completing body mate and wing installation…
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CAPITOL HILL: The law is the law. But the law must be written and it must then be interpreted in practice. Ay, there’s the rub. Add the National Guard, local politics, aging C-130s, and a wobbly defense budget in which hard choices must be made, and you’ve got a potent mix. That became abundantly clear Wednesday afternoon during a very brief hearing of the House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee. Rep. Jim Bridenstine laid into the head of Air Force acquisition, Billl LaPlante, and his colleague, Lt. Gen. James “Mike” Holmes, the deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements. Holmes told the subcommittee he was “most concerned…
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