2021
103 topics in this forum
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Retirement Of MC-130H Speeds Up MC-130J Low-Flying Radar Upgrade Older MC-130Hs are now all retired, something that was delayed over concerns about key low-altitude radar capabilities on the MC-130J. byJoseph Trevithick| PUBLISHED Apr 11, 2023 1:43 PM EDT Sierra Nevada Corporation The U.S. Air Force says it has accelerated work to integrate Raytheon's AN/APQ-187 Silent Knight terrain-following/terrain avoidance radar onto its MC-130J Commando II special operations transport/tanker aircraft. This has come amid the retirement of the Commando II's predecessor, the MC-130H Combat Talon II, with its highly specialized AN/APQ-170 radar. T…
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February 7, 2023 (by MSgt. Alexander Farver ) - The first MC-130J Commando II aircraft arrived at Middletown, on February 2, 2023, achieving a major milestone in the 193rd Special Operations Wing's mission conversion. The 193 SOW is the first, and currently the only, Air National Guard unit to receive the Commando II mission, a flagship mission of Air Force Special Operations Command. USAF MC-130J Commando II #08-6206 arrives at the 193rd SOW on February 2, 2023 at Middletown, Pennsylvania. The aircraft is the first to arrive to the 193rd SOW, marking a symbolic beginning to its new primary mission as the first, and currently only Air National Guard uni…
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Youngstown Air Reserve selected as preferred location for new C-130Js While the final decision won't be made until this summer, Youngstown's selection as the preferred site offers hope for the Valley. Thursday, December 22nd 2022, 6:09 PM EST By Robert McFerren The Youngstown Air Reserve Station has been selected as the preferred location to replace its eight C-130Hs with eight C-130Js out of the four locations being considered. Youngstown ARS was selected to host this mission after a site survey was conducted that assessed the location based on factors related to the mission, infrastructure capacity, community support, environmental consider…
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'Spirit of Mansfield' finds new home at MAPS Museum 88-4401 (#5154) Kelly Byer The Repository GREEN − The "Spirit of Mansfield" became the largest military plane at the Military Aviation Preservation Society (MAPS) Museum with its arrival Saturday. The C-130H Hercules, which was previously flown from the Mansfield-Lahm Air National Guard base to the Akron-Canton Airport, was towed to MAPS just west of the airport while about 50 people watched. With a wingspan greater than 132 feet, it took about an hour or more of maneuvering and wood placed under one side to lift a wing over the museum's gate. "It's very difficult to move …
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November 3, 2022 (by Capt. Alicia Premo) - Air Force Special Operations Command received its 31st and final AC-130J Ghostrider, completing the command's transition from the legacy AC-130W, AC-130U, and AC-130H fleets. http://s9.addthis.com/button0-rss.gif http://s9.addthis.com/button1-addthis.gif USAF AC-130J Ghostrider #19-5946 taxies on the flight line following the AC-130J Ghostrider dedication and delivery ceremony on November 2, 2022, at Bob Sikes Airport in Crestview, Fla. The ceremony marked the 31st and final AC-130J delivery to the U.S. Air Force. (USAF photo by TSgt. Michael Charles] Following a commemoration ceremony at the Lo…
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Special Ops C-130 Tests Pallet-Dropped Cruise Missiles In The Arctic The Air Force’s Rapid Dragon palletized munitions system has made its first trip to Europe, including being loaded aboard a Polish C-130. byJoseph Trevithick| PUBLISHED Nov 9, 2022 4:32 PM A U.S. Air Force MC-130J Commando II special operations aircraft has launched an AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range cruise missile, or JASSM-ER, above the Arctic Circle in the first-ever demonstration in Europe of the Rapid Dragon air-launched palletized munitions concept. In addition, U.S. personnel trained together with their Polish counterparts on the system hi…
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Air Force grounds most C-130Hs due to cracked propeller barrels 64 Stephen Losey Fri, September 30, 2022 at 5:33 PM·2 min read WASHINGTON — The Air Force has grounded most of its older C-130H Hercules cargo planes and variants due to a problem with their propeller barrels. Air Mobility Command on Friday confirmed a wide swath of its C-130H fleet, which numbered 128 at the beginning of fiscal 2022, is unable to fly, and it’…
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How Air Force maintainers achieved a rare perfect inspection on a 49-year-old aircraft “This rarely happens, especially on an aircraft nearly a half-century old.” By David Roza | Published Sep 28, 2022 10:38 AM Airmen assigned to the 755th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron celebrate their achievements in getting an EC-130H Compass Call to zero discrepancies at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Aug. 17, 2022. (Staff Sgt. Kristine Legate/U.S. Air Force). Johnnie Walker has its Black Label whiskey; American Express has its Black Card; and Metallica and Jay-Z each have their own Black Albums. But when it comes to maintaining aircraft i…
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C-130 Seaplane Should Fly In 2023 Says Air Force Special Ops Commander Faced with a potential fight against China across vast swaths of ocean, the amphibious C-130 could soon finally become a reality. byHoward Altman| PUBLISHED Sep 21, 2022 4:32 PM Howard AltmanView howard altman's Articles An amphibious version of the special operations MC-130J Commando II multi-mission combat transport should take flight by next year, the head of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) said Tuesday. "We're awaiting the outcome of the 23 [Fiscal Year 2023] budget process that continues to work its way through the Hill right now," Lt. Gen. James…
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Farewell to the EC-130J Commando Solo III, the plane of the USAF for psychological operations9·19·2022 · 6:53 0 Last Saturday, September 17, one of the most unknown specialized military aircraft of all those in the US made its last flight. That day, the 193rd Special Operations Wing of the United States Air Force (USAF), a unit attached to the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, made its last broadcast flight with its Lockheed EC-130J Commando Solo III, a plane specialized in psychological operations (PsyOps), that is, it is dedicated to broadcasting messages whose purpose is to persuade the enemy. An EC-130J Commando Solo III photographed from a KC-135T a…
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LOUISVILLE, KY, UNITED STATES 09.11.2022 Story by Dale Greer 123rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs Subscribe 13 The 123rd Airlift Wing welcomed its eighth C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to the Kentucky Air National Guard Base here Aug. 25, completing the unit’s transition from legacy C-130H transports. The wing had been flying H models since 1992. It said farewell to the last of those on Sept. 24, 2021, and began receiving new J models from Lockheed-Martin Corp. on Nov. 6. The C-130J Super Hercules is the latest version in the Air…
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Our First Look At An AC-130J Ghostrider Gunship’s New 105mm Gun The Air Force’s AC-130J Ghostrider gunships have begun receiving replacements for their Vietnam War-era 105mm howitzers. byJoseph Trevithick, Oliver ParkenAug 31, 2022 6:49 PM An AC-130J Ghostrider gunship assigned to the 17th Special Operation Squadron fitted with a new 105mm howitzer, with insets showing a close-up of the howitzer and prototype of the design. USAF/ USN Photos from a recent event at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, provide our first look at a U.S. Air Force AC-130J Ghostride…
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193rd Special Operations Wing preps for mission conversion MIDDLETOWN, PA, UNITED STATES 07.22.2022 MIDDLETOWN, Pa. -- The 193rd Special Operations Wing is undergoing a substantial transformation of its primary mission. The wing is transitioning from its legacy EC-130J Commando Solo aircraft to the MC-130J Commando II. To prepare for this historic shift, the wing hosted a National Guard Bureau-led Site Activation Task Force here July 12-14. “We are at a strategic point in our wing’s history that will allow our Airmen to add to the legacy and be owners of this new and exciting mission,” said Lt. Col. Benton Jackson, 193rd Special Operations Wing Unit C…
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Maintenance University sharpens skills with joint training in Puerto Rico Published July 18, 2021 By Staff Sgt. Clayton Wear 123rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs CAROLINA, Puerto Rico -- More than 130 Airmen from the Kentucky Air National Guard completed a week of intensive aircraft maintenance training here June 12-18, honing proficiencies in a joint field environment while avoiding the distractions of home station. The annual event, called Maintenance University, featured classes on everything from changing the tires on C-130H Hercules aircraft to repairing sophisticated autopilot equipment, said Lt. Col. James Embry, commander of the Louisvi…
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Some of these are aircraft that were at Maxwell and went to AMARG a few years ago. The idea being retire them while they still had time left on the CWB and could still be sold off to FMS. First of five C-130Hs delivered to the Polish Air Force In September 2019, the Polish Ministry of Defense issued a Letter of Request to the US for acquiring five C-130H transport aircraft. On 13 April 2021, the Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blasczak signed a government-to-government contract with the US for the delivery of these five Lockheed C-130H Hercules' to the Sily Powietrzne RP (Polish Air Force). This contract is part of the US Excess Defense Articles gra…
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‘We’re leaking fuel and we might be on fire’ How a Pair of KC-130J Pilots, Crew Saved Their Plane After a Collision with an F-35 By: Gidget Fuentes June 21, 2022 6:27 PM A Marine KC-130 crash lands in California Sept. 29, 2020. SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The first F-35B Lightning II pulled up to the KC-130J Super Hercules aerial tanker, took its sip of fuel from the left-wing tank and pulled away, just as planned. The Miramar-based KC-130J – call sign “Raider 50” – was flying the Sept. 29, 2020 refueling mission to support the fall class of the Weapons and Tactics Instruction Course run by Marine Aviation Weapo…
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AC-130J Crews Awarded 2021 Mackay Trophy for Safeguarding Afghanistan Evacuation June 30, 2022 | By Greg Hadley A pair of AC-130J Ghostrider crews have been tapped to receive the 2021 Mackay Trophy, awarded by the Air Force and the National Aeronautic Association for the year’s most meritorious flight. The trophy is in recognition of their actions during the withdrawal from Afghanistan that aided in the rescue of some 2,000 American diplomats. All told, 18 Airmen from the 73rd Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla., received the recognition June 30. As the U.S. completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan in the summer o…
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Netherlands Selects Embraer C-390M To Replace C-130H Fleet June 17, 2022 The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) has announced that it plans to purchase the Embraer C-390M to replace its C-130H Hercules fleet. Secretary of State for Defense Christophe van der Maat wrote to the House of Representatives that the first C-390M is aimed to be obtained by 2026. The Netherlands will become the third NATO member to buy the C-390 after Portugal and Hungary. RNLAF currently has four C-130H aircraft that have reached the end of their lifespan. While the initial plan was to use these till 2031, RNLAF decided to replace them in 2020 due to low serviceability rates an…
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Dear Hercules and Orion Community Members, We are thrilled to announce that registration for the 2022 Hercules Orion Conference is now open. This year’s conference will be Oct. 17–20 at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. We look forward to welcoming you back for a fantastic in-person conference featuring content tracks, keynote speakers, exhibitors, and social events that focus on the Hercules and Orion operators and maintainers. Complete registration information for operators, maintainers, exhibitors, and sponsors can be found at: Hercules Orion Conference Home Page (eventscloud.com) https://na.eventscloud.com/ehome/681892?&t=376f618c8fcace69410c…
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130th Airlift Wing Receives 8th and final C-130 J-30 Super Hercules CHARLESTON, WV, UNITED STATES 05.26.2022 Video by Edwin Wriston The 130th Airlift Wing received its 8th and final C-130 J-30 Super Hercules aircraft, #20-5940, Thursday, May 26, 2022, at McLaughlin Air National Guard Base, Charleston, West Virginia. https://www.dvidshub.net/video/845053/130th-airlift-wing-receives-8th-and-final-c-130-j-30-super-hercules?fbclid=IwAR0pZKCWP1KJhMiVmGZfYnoW6f43edxUUTnO20rdxNgXatO8iJ8vLNl9HnU
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Lockheed Martin Reaches Super Herculean Milestone With Delivery of 500th C-130J Airlifter This Historic Super Herc Operated by the West Virginia Air National Guard's 130th Airlift Wing MARIETTA, Ga., March 15, 2022 -- Hercules history is made once again, with the announcement that Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) recently delivered its 500th C-130J Super Hercules airlifter. This Super Hercules (Lockheed Martin aircraft #5934, USAF #19-5934) is a C-130J-30 aircraft assigned to the 130th Airlift Wing located at McLaughlin Air National Guard Base in Charleston, West Virginia. The 130th Airlift Wing is a longtime C-130 operator that is currently moder…
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133rd AW welcomes first eight-bladed propeller C-130 May 11, 2022 (by TSgt. Amy Lovgren) - The 133rd Airlift Wing received their first C-130 Hercules with an updated eight-bladed propeller on May 11, 2022. http://s9.addthis.com/button0-rss.gif http://s9.addthis.com/button1-addthis.gif USAF C-130H #96-1003 from 109 AS taxis to a parking spot on the flight line in St. Paul, Minn. on May 11, 2022. The 133rd is currently in the second phase of the modernization process, which includes transitioning the C-130s from four-bladed propellers to eight-bladed propellers. [ANG photo by Amy M. Lovgren]…
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MANSFIELD, OH, UNITED STATES 04.27.2022 Story by Master Sgt. Joseph Harwood MANSFIELD, Ohio- The 164th Airlift Squadron conducted a ceremonial final formation flight of two C-130H Hercules as part of their “Flying Legacy” tribute ceremony, April 23, 2022, held at the 179th Airlift Wing, Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base, in Ohio. The unit invited current members, their family and friends as well as prior service members to join them in a private ceremony in order to pay tribute to the historical flying unit’s aviation history as it enters a new era with a new non-aviation based mission. Col. Darren Hamilton, 179th Airlift Wing commander, opened …
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https://www.dvidshub.net/video/838211/908th-aws-final-c-130-hercules-flight-4-ship-formation-flight-farewell?sub_id=211485&utm_campaign=subscriptions&utm_medium=email&utm_source=211485&utm_content=asset_link&fbclid=IwAR1lGaUqRZ4IQvWBMGsvElsYClSvRA1akDph4XSQ_8L3RpUB1l6DNxhQ9g4 908th AW's Final C-130 Hercules flight, 4-Ship Formation Flight farewell MONTGOMERY, AL, UNITED STATES 04.02.2022 Video by Senior Airman Shelby Thurman The 908th Airlift Wing concluded its final flights with the C-130H Hercules aircraft as it’s assigned platform Saturday, April 2, 2020 after nearly 40 years of service. The 908th was selected to div…
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This Is Our First Look At The Navy’s Next 'Doomsday Plane,' The EC-130J TACAMO The next-generation EC-130J TACAMO will replace the current fleet of E-6B Mercury jets in a throwback to the Cold War era. By Thomas Newdick April 5, 2022 Thomas Newdick Lockheed Martin has presented a concept for its EC-130J TACAMO aircraft for the first time, building on a plan that first emerged more than a year ago. The TACAMO, or “Take Charge And Move Out” (TACAMO) mission, currently provides airborne command and control support for America’s nuclear deterrent forces and is presently fulfilled by the E-6B Mercury “Doomsday Planes,” 16 of which are in use. …
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