2021
103 topics in this forum
-
‘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…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
-
- 0 replies
- 335 views
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…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 291 views
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…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 890 views
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…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 327 views
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…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
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…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 381 views
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…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
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…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 493 views
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’…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 351 views
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…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 330 views
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…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 321 views
'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 …
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 378 views
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…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 693 views
The Last of Them: The boneyard receives final MC-130H Published April 10, 2023 By Capt. Jantzen Floate Air Force Special Operations Command HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- On April 2, the final MC-130H Combat Talon ll made its last flight, arriving at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona to retire at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG). This aircraft was the last of the final six MC-130Hs transferred for storage at the 309th AMARG, known as the boneyard. The aircraft, tail number 89-0280 belonging to the 1st Special Operations Wing, was flown by a Total Force crew and includ…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 312 views
This Day in Aviation, L-100 Flies, 20–21 April 1964 April 21, 2023AviationAllison 501-D22, Allison Division of General Motors, c/n 3946, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Lockheed L-100, Lockheed Model 382, Lockheed Model 382E-44K-20, N1130E, N50FW, Type Certificate A1SOBryan Swopes Lockheed L-100 Hercules N1130E, in flight. Both outboard engines are shut down and the propellers feathered. (Lockheed Martin) 20–21 April 1964: Nearly ten years after the first flight of the Lockheed YC-130 Hercules prototype, the Lockheed Model 382, serial number 3946, the commercial version of the military C-130E, made the longest first flight in history when it flew for 25 hours, …
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 285 views
RNZAF C-130J's taking shape May 12, 2023 (by Asif Shamim) - A key C-130J project milestone was celebrated this week, as representatives from New Zealand, Defence personnel, and Lockheed Martin senior staff gathered for a bulkhead signing ceremony at the factory in Marietta Georgia, USA. RNZAF C-130J #5978 the first New Zealand airframe seen on the production line on April 3, 2023. [Lockheed Martin Photo by David L. Key] Five C-130J have been purchased for the Royal New Zealand Air Force to replace the current C-130 Hercules. The new aircraft are on track …
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 237 views
This unusual new Air Force tactic is likely raising alarms in China, expert says “The agility of the U.S. military’s distributed method for strike missions and the suddenness of those strikes will increase immensely.” By David Roza | Published Jan 4, 2023 8:54 AM EST A U.S. Air Force pilot assigned to the 352d Special Operations Wing conduct a rehearsal flight on an MC-130J Commando II in preparation for a live-fire demonstration of a palletized munitions system during ATREUS 22-4 at Andøya Space Defense Range, Norway, Nov. 8, 2022. (Tech. Sgt. Brigette Waltermire/U.S. Air National Guard). The U.S. Air Force is thinking outside the box, an…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 349 views
AC-130J Ghostrider Could Get Huge Upgrade From AESA Radar An active electronically scanned array radar would allow AC-130Js to independently engage targets in any weather and at greater distances. byJoseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway| UPDATED May 15, 2023 7:47 PM EDT The U.S. Air Force plans to test an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. Adding an AESA would give these aircraft a valuable tool for spotting, tracking, and engaging targets, especially in bad weather and at extended ranges. The radar could perform more general intelligence-gathering and provide improved situational awar…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
Here’s What Units Will Move to Davis-Monthan to Join AFSOC’s New Power Projection Wing Aug. 2, 2023 | By Greg Hadley The Air Force unveiled plans for the new 492nd Power Projection Wing that will replace the A-10 mission at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on Aug. 2, describing for the first time which units will be included. The new wing will be part of Air Force Special Operations Command and draw units from around the country. The 492nd Special Operations Wing will be re-missioned and re-designated, providing the headquarters element; it will relocate to Arizona from Hurlburt Field, Fla., where it is has led AFSOC’s training and education effort…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 182 views
165th Airlift Wing bids farewell to last C-130H Hercules A C-130 Hercules aircraft formerly assigned to the 165th Airlift Wing (AW), Savannah Air National Base, Georgia, lifts off the runway at Savannah/Hilton-Head International Airport August 18, 2023. The C-130H Hercules aircraft, which has been flown by Savannah aircrews for 41 years, will continue being flown at the 166th Airlift Wing, Delaware Air National Guard as the 165 AW prepares to receive its first new C-130J Super Hercules aircraft by the end of December 2023.
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 253 views
Four More Guard Wings Tapped for Upgrade to C-130J Sept. 14, 2023 | By Greg Hadley The Air Force has selected four more Air National Guard wings to transition to the new C-130J Super Hercules, a key inflection point as the Guard modernizes. The C-130Js feature a roomier, “stretched” fuselage, more powerful engines with composite six-blade propellers, and digital avionics and mission computers. That means J’s can fly faster, higher, and farther than the C-130H. The four wings receiving new C-130Js in place of H-models: 103rd Airlift Wing, in Connecticut 120th Airlift Wing, in Montana 133rd Airlift Wing, in Minnesota …
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 254 views
C-130 Pilots Test Out ‘Entirely New’ Cockpit For Aging ‘H’ Models Oct. 17, 2023 | By David Roza Pilots at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., are testing out a new cockpit layout for the C-130H transport plane that will replace its analog gauges with glass multifunction displays, digital engine instruments, a new flight management system, autopilot, terrain awareness and warning system and other digital upgrades that should make the aircraft safer and easier to fly. “This is much larger than just a software or hardware upgrade,” Maj. Jacob Duede, an experimental test pilot with the 417th Flight Test Squadron, said in an Oct. 17 press release. “It’s reconstru…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 107 views
130 AW Reaches IOC with C-130J The West Virginia National Guard is proud to announce that the 130th Airlift Wing has met the requirements to be declared a C-130J-30 unit with Initial Operational Capability as of January 1, 2024. The 130th has been in the process of transitioning airframes from the C-130 H3 Hercules model to the advanced C-130J-30 Super Hercules model since 2021. The unit currently operates eight C-130J-30 aircraft, each valued at approximately $90 million. “Attaining the IOC certification represents a significant milestone for the unit and is validation of the dedication and tremendous effort put forth by the aircrews, maintainers and supp…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 104 views
2024 DoD spray course lands in Florida Published Jan. 18, 2024 By Capt. Donnie J. Hatheway 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs TAMPA BAY, Florida -- Twenty-four Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 910th Airlift Wing helped facilitate the Department of Defense’s annual Aerial Spray Course in conjunction with the Florida Mosquito Control Association’s fly-in between Jan. 7-12, 2024. Participants of the course, both military and civilian, gathered from across the country to take on this four-day course that began with instruction by five highly trained and certified medical entomologists who walked through the entirety of aerial spray ap…
Last reply by Metalbasher, -
- 0 replies
- 130 views
Brazilian Air Force launches paratroopers with its final C-130 Hercules Ricardo Meier January 31, 2024 FAB 2476 aircraft had not flown since December and was officially deactivated. Farewell to Lockheed turboprop could occur on February 18 After leaving it on the ground for 45 days, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) returned to flying with its last C-130 Hercules on January 30th. The tactical transport aircraft took off from Galeão Air Base, where it is based, to Campo dos Afonsos, both in Rio de Janeiro, in order to launch paratroopers. The flight was recorded on video and shows the turboprop preparing to take off and dropping sold…
Last reply by Metalbasher,