Metalbasher

Yep, previously posted article in the forum indicated Harrisburg was transitioning away from EC-130Js to MC-130Js...few used ones and few new ones.

Last week, our Guard Airmen with the 193rd Special Operations Wing made history as they were the first, and only Air Guard unit to receive the MC-130J Commando II mission. It was a very humbling moment to be a part of this incredible aircraft's historic first flight with our Pennsylvania National Guard Airmen as we welcomed a new era of air power for our Air National Guard!

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 efforts. The 492nd will be AFSOC’s third Power Projection Wing, but the Air Force did not immediately say what other wings will get that designation. The new term is meant to encompass all of AFSOC’s mission capabilities—strike, mobility, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and air/ground coordination—so the command can “regionally focus each power projection wing on a geographic combatant commander,” according to a release. “The transition will also allow AFSOC to further diversify its locations to protect against natural disasters by ensuring it can maintain its ability to respond to president-directed missions on very tight timelines,” the release stated. Units coming to Davis-Monthan include: One MC-130J Commando II squadron from Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. One AO-1K Armed Overwatch squadron from Hurlburt Field, Fla., The 21st Special Tactics Squadron from Pope Army Airfield, N.C. The 22nd Special Tactics Squadron from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. The 492nd Theater Air Operations Squadron will activate at Duke Field, Fla., and transfer Davis-Monthan is losing most of its A-10 Thunderbolts, as three squadrons inactivate and send their 78 A-10s to the boneyard: The 47th Fighter Squadron The 354th Fighter Squadron The 357th Fighter Squadron In addition to the 492nd PPW, Davis-Monthan will also gain five HH-60W helicopters from the 34th Weapons Squadron and 88th Test and Evaluation Squadron, which will relocate from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.. The moves will occur slowly over five years and pending an environmental impact analysis. The Air Force first revealed plans for the 492nd Power Projection Wing in its 2024 budget documents, and Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. provided further details during a congressional hearing in April. “Their access to the ranges that are there in Arizona and in the western United States will increase their training opportunity,” Brown said. For years, Arizona lawmakers in Congress have been some of the fiercest advocates for the A-10, repeatedly blocking Air Force attempts to retire the venerable close air support aircraft. The arrival of the 492nd and other missions, however, has seemingly softened that opposition. This spring, Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), along with Reps. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), released a joint letter saying they were “encouraged by the Air Force’s intention to bring new, durable flying missions” to Davis-Monthan, noting that the base’s population will hold steady at roughly 9,600 Airmen and civilians. U.S. Air Force Airmen inspect an A-10 Thunderbolt II from the 924th Fighter Group during the 355th Maintenance Group’s 4th quarter crew chief competition at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Jan. 6, 2023. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Paige Weldon

Pretty sure. CWB s were coming up on time, so since they did not have a CWB replacement program in place, faster, easier and cheaper to buy new acft, rather than lose aircraft availability (due to replacment time) and sell off their used Js. Lots of perspective buyers due to LMCO no longer making the original CWB, only ESL and the ESL is not compatible with older Bs and Es that many are still flying.

Multi billion dollar investment in new C-130J Hercules aircraft for the RAAF July 24, 2023 (by Asif Shamim) - The Albanese Government will purchase 20 new C-130J Hercules aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force for $9.8 billion. This will provide the Air Force with a state-of-the-art C-130 Hercules to meet the air transport needs of the future. RAAF C-130J-30 #A97-467 sits on the flight line at Mountain Home AFB on November 1, 2018. [USAF photo by SrA Alaysia Berry] The new acquisitions will replace and expand upon the 12 Hercules aircraft currently operated by Air Force with delivery of the first aircraft expected from late 2027. There will be significant benefits for the Australian industry from the expanded fleet size, with opportunities to construct facilities and infrastructure and to sustain the aircraft. The Australian Defence Force relies on the C-130J Hercules aircraft for the deployment of personnel, equipment and humanitarian supplies. The iconic aircraft is regularly used in search and rescue missions, disaster relief and medical evacuation. The C-130J has been involved in almost every major Defence operation in recent decades, from Bougainville assistance and Timor-Leste peacekeeping to conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. More recently the aircraft supported Australia’s response to COVID-19 in the region, delivering vaccines and medical supplies, as well bushfire and flood response. The C-130J Hercules is made by Lockheed Martin and is being purchased from the United States. The aircraft will continue to be operated by No. 37 Squadron at RAAF Base Richmond in NSW. Quotes attributable to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP: "The C-130J Hercules is an important capability for our defence force, but also for Australia as a nation. "From bushfire and flood emergencies across the country, the delivery of crucial supplies to the region during the COVID-19 pandemic and more than two decades supporting peacekeeping operations, this has and will continue to be a crucial asset. "The Albanese Government is committed to ensuring the ADF is equipped with the capabilities it needs to keep Australians safe, and this targeted expansion of the fleet size will do just that." Quotes attributable to Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Pat Conroy MP: "The Government is ensuring the Australian Defence Force is equipped with brand new C-130J Hercules aircraft, and more of them, to respond to the wide range of challenges our nation will face in the future. "Since 1999, the C-130J Hercules has served Australia across our region and beyond, proving to be a reliable workhorse in roles from humanitarian operations to conflict zones. "Having 20 aircraft, up from 12, will mean more opportunities for local industry to sustain the aircraft, creating more Australian jobs. There’ll also be jobs associated with infrastructure redevelopments at RAAF Base Richmond."

165th AW completes final overseas exercise flying the C-130H during Air Defender 2023 July 17, 2023 (by MSgt. Caila Arahood) - This summer, one Savannah C-130 Hercules aircraft along with nearly 60 Airmen from the 165th Airlift Wing, Georgia Air National Guard, traveled to Germany in support of Air Defender 2023, the largest collective defense air exercise since the inception of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1949. USAF C-130H #93-1562 from 158 AS, taxis on the runway at Wunstorf AB during exercise Air Defender 2023 (AD23) on June 20, 2023. [ANG photo by MSgt. Caila Arahood] This exercise marks a historic milestone for the 165th AW, as it was the final large-scale exercise the wing participated in flying its C-130H Hercules aircraft after 49 years. The wing will begin its conversion in mid-July to become one of the Air National Guard's newest C-130J Super Hercules fleets. Over the month of June, Germany's air force, called the Luftwaffe, hosted more than 200 aircraft from over 25 countries participating alongside 40-plus Air National Guard units from 35 states. With the Air Force and Air National Guard contributing some 2,000 Airmen along with 100 aircraft to the exercise, the U.S. showcased interoperability and its reinforcing commitment to partners both regionally and across the globe. "I don't know how you all feel about this exercise, but I can tell you this, this exercise does not happen without mobility," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, the director of the Air National Guard, to Airmen during a visit to Wunstorf Air Base June 22, 2023. The Savannah unit, which prides itself on being "America's Best Team, World's Best Airlift," has flown the C-130H Hercules model for nearly five decades. They showcased their expertise and skills in the air mobility mission by completing critical tactical airlift missions throughout AD23, according to Col. Rusty Ballard, commander of the 182nd Airlift Wing and officer in charge of the C-130 detachment during the exercise. "The C-130s operating here at Wunstorf really are the backbone of the exercise because our counterparts flying fighter jets could not even operate if they didn't have C-130s getting their cargo to their areas of operation," said Ballard, In addition to the deployment and redeployment of cargo and passengers, Savannah flew several missions during the exercise that consisted of multi-ship tactical formations, personnel airdrops as well as cargo airdrop missions alongside nine other ANG units. The Savannah tail was the highest contributor to flight hours ending with 44.9 hours overall, 36 flown sorties, 79 passengers, and 113,050 lbs of cargo moved and 40 passengers airdropped. Additionally, Savannah flew two high-visibility missions during the exercise, including one formation flight to Lithuania and a foreign media flight. Over the course of four weeks, air mobility Airmen completed over 351 flight hours, moved more than 1.3 million pounds of cargo, transported over 1300 passengers, and used nearly 460,000 lbs of fuel to do so, said Ballard. While the 182nd AW's commander and key staff out of Peoria, Illinois, was the lead wing for the air mobility side of the mission, Savannah's team held many lead roles on the planning and operations teams for the duration of the exercise that led to overall mission accomplishment. "Over the course of the month here in Germany we had several key players leading the way for the C-130 mission out of Wunstorf Air Base," said Maj. Katie Parker, the chief of weapons and tactics with the 165th AW and the C-130 liaison officer for AD23. "Some of Savannah's best were here making the mission happen including Senior Master Sgt. Adam Lindamood as the lead of log plans, Chief Master Sgt. Terry Johnson as the chief of maintenance, Capt. John Cox as the officer in charge of the maintenance operations center, Master Sgt. Caila Arahood as the NCOIC of public affairs operations, Senior Master Sgt. Timothy Hayes as the NCOIC of fuels, and Chief Master Sgt. Medie Still as the senior enlisted leader for all the Airmen at this location." The hard work and mission impact of the Savannah team was recognized at the highest levels, with Capt. John Cox was coined by Loh during his visit to Wunstorf Air Base on June 22. "As the liaison officer for the C-130 detachment working alongside my counterparts at National Guard Bureau for a majority of the exercise, I was proud to hear and see all of the Airmen from Savannah taking on the challenges in front of them and ensuring the C-130 team accomplished the mission, " said Parker. "All 10 C-130 units came together as one team and performed beyond expectations alongside two allied nations, Germany and Romania." Airmen from across multiple career fields had the opportunity to work with allies in a way that they hadn't before which gave a whole new perspective on what it means to build relationships and learn to operate together if conflict does arise in the future. Captain John Maloney, a C-130 Hercules pilot assigned to the 158th Airlift Squadron, 165 AW, agreed, "Being on the road and a part of this exercise has allowed me to see firsthand how each member and task is involved in making everything work." Maloney said he thinks it is important to train with our allies and partners to ensure we can integrate the variety of tasks, training, and aircraft capabilities alongside our allies successfully. "Everyone wants the same common goals," said Maloney. "My biggest takeaway from Air Defender 2023 is just seeing everyone come together and work in full cooperation to meet the objectives of the exercise and complete the mission in a way that achieves those goals." Col. Sheldon A. Wilson, commander of the 165th AW, agreed. "A key objective of this exercise was to demonstrate air power alongside our allied and partner nations as well as promote our ability to merge our tactics with our allies and ensure if and when a threat is present, we can protect our own populations and armed forces," said Wilson. Airmen with the 165th AW completed nearly five decades of flying the C-130H Hercules on a high note by working alongside nearly 40 other ANG units and collaborating with 25 NATO countries across several locations throughout the duration of AD23.

Air Force Special Ops Wants Runway Independence, More Speed 7/14/2023 By Stew Magnuson Air Force photo TAMPA, Florida — Air Force Special Operations Command has a long technology wish list. The command is tasked with transporting commandos covertly, quickly and across long distances and to penetrate where other aircraft can’t normally go. Naturally, it wants to improve its performance in all these categories, especially the latter, taking personnel to locations where there are no runways — a job best carried out by rotary-wing aircraft. But what if almost three-fourths of the planet could serve as a runway by allowing fixed-wing aircraft to land on water? The entire Indo-Pacific could be considered a runway, SOCOM Acquisitions Executive James Smith told reporters recently. That’s the reasoning behind the idea to bolt pontoons onto a MC-130J airlifter to convert it into a float plane, a concept the command has been studying for more than two years. Air Force Col. Ken Kuebler, program executive officer for fixed-wing aircraft at SOCOM, said: “We continue to push forward with some of that technology [but] it’s a really hard engineering problem,” he said during a presentation at the SOF Week conference. The office is carrying out hydro- and sub-scale testing, studying how it would perform in various sea states, and is moving toward a critical design review, he said. In addition, the command is looking at more mundane day-to-day operations such as maintenance and support, equipment needs, training and “how do we go with this whole systems of systems approach to be able to do that,” he said. The command is working with several organizations to carry out the studies and tests. “We are looking at two to three years to go do a demonstration of the full capability,” he said. Kuebler was asked if the command would consider acquiring the ShinMaywa US-2 fixed-wing amphibious aircraft — which is flown by the Japan Self-Defense Force — as a stopgap solution. Nothing has been ruled out, Kuebler said. The program executive office has had talks with Japan about its float plane capabilities, especially as it works out concepts of operation and training, he said. “We are looking across the globe at these capabilities,” he said. “I think everything in the acquisition strategy is still on the table as we look at different lines of efforts to make sure that we can have a runway independent and amphibious capability,” he said. The ShinMaywa US-2 can land on runways or water and is primarily used for search-and-rescue missions. It can carry a crew of 11 plus 20 passengers, or 12 on stretchers. It is driven by six Rolls-Royce AE 2100 engines, has a 108-foot wingspan and cruises at about 300 miles per hour. It can operate in sea states of up to nine feet and on land only requires about one-quarter of the distance of a typical commercial airliner to take off and land, making it practical for many of Japan’s remote and austere runways. It has a range of 2,980 miles, which is roughly five and a half times farther than a typical search-and-rescue helicopter, according to information from its manufacturer ShinMaywa Industries Ltd. Japan currently has eight of the aircraft with plans to build six more. The company said the aircraft has saved more than 1,000 lives so far. ShinMaywa Industries is actively seeking export opportunities but has yet to find an overseas buyer for the aircraft. Former AFSOC deputy commander Maj. Gen. Eric Hill before he retired visited Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan in April 2022 to check out the US-2 and flew in it to observe the crew carrying out exercises, according to Stars and Stripes. The amphibious aircraft is “an incredible platform,” he said. “Flying an airplane that can land on water isn’t a new concept, but few aviators have the experience of amphibious aviation,” Hill told the newspaper. “Gaining lessons from our partners will help us learn what to anticipate as we begin to build our own tactics and techniques moving forward.” The purpose of the visit was to gather facts as SOCOM explores its own amphib program, he said. “We think partnering with our allies here and learning from them, seeing that they’re on their second variant of a seaplane, and I think there is a lot of education we can share back and forth,” Hill added. Smith, while not specifically addressing the US-2, said not every country has what it takes to partner with SOCOM when it comes to developing new technologies, but Japan does check off all the boxes. “We’re always looking for what I refer to as the ‘Goldilocks partnership,’” he said. First, Japan has invested heavily in its own special operations forces. Not every nation does, Smith noted. A potential partner should also have a robust industrial base capable of producing advanced technology. Obviously, Japan fits that description. Finally, they must have strong cybersecurity protocols in place to protect any information SOCOM shares with them, he said. “When we find a country that hits all three of those marks, we are interested in working with them,” he said. Meanwhile, Kuebler shared details on another new program being developed in partnership with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency that has “runway independence” near the top of its requirements list. The agency in March revealed the Speed and Runway Independent Technologies, or SPRINT, X-plane demonstration project. Its Tactical Technology Office is soliciting proposals to design, build, certify and fly an X-plane to demonstrate speed and runway independence for a next generation of air mobility platforms, an agency statement said. The announcement said runway independence was “envisioned as the ability to operate and hover near unprepared surfaces, such as sections of damaged runways, remote highways/roadways, unprepared fields with dry grass, parking lots, etc.” The broad agency announcement released March 9 did not mention whether the aircraft should be crewed, uncrewed, or optionally piloted. The announcement also did not mention whether it should use conventional or hybrid engines, only that it “must demonstrate the ability to generate and distribute power in all modes of flight and during transition between these modes of flight.” The announcement did, however, specify that the aircraft be scalable, cruise at speeds from 400 to 450 knots and at relevant altitudes between 15,000 and 30,000 feet. It should carry a payload of 5,000 pounds, with a substantial 30-foot-long, eight-foot-wide cargo bay capable of carrying a small vehicle or two and a half pallets, it said. The initial requirement for endurance is one and a half hours and 200 nautical miles. While the announcement stressed runway independence, the most important capability AFSOC is looking for in the new X-plane is high speed, Kuebler said. What is the definition of “high-speed?” It’s whatever the program can provide, he said. “If I tell you 400 knots, then tomorrow I’ll be asking for 450 knots and the next day I’ll ask for 500, but we’re really trying to get after that win,” he added. It will be a three-phase project, with the first phase seeking proposals. The entities selected will share $15 million to refine their concepts. The second part includes a downselect with $75 million for risk reduction work and air certification approvals, then a further downselect to build and fly the aircraft. That amount was undisclosed. “The goal of SPRINT is to reach first flight of the demonstrator no more than 42 months from contract award,” the announcement said. The artist’s concept that accompanied the post portrayed an aircraft that looked much like the next-generation, autonomous hybrid-electric commuter aircraft that several companies are currently developing. Geoffrey Downer, SOCOM’s program executive officer for rotary wing, said a host of established aircraft makers and startups are offering so-called “flying cars” — all electric or electric-hybrid, runway independent vertical takeoff and landing vehicles that may appear to be a perfect fit for special operations missions — but so far, none impress. The PEO has studied many of the nascent industry’s commuter aircraft offerings but found that they are all lacking the requirements needed for special ops missions. “All these electric configurations don’t meet our helicopter missions based on the studies that we’re looking at,” he said. Special operations helicopters need to hover for long periods of time, and the new wave of electric aircraft don’t do that, he said. The amount of downwash is also problematic, as is the ability to get the crew in and out of the aircraft quickly, he said. PEO Rotary Wing will also start a program in 2024 with DARPA to look at hybrid-electric aircraft with the goal of increasing speed. “The studies that we’ve done [have] shown that you can get anywhere from 25 percent to 100 percent increase in speed,” he said. That could take it from 90 knots to 170 to 180 knots, he said. Or it could result in a 25 to 75 percent increase in range. “That’s huge,” he added. ND

1957 LOCKHEED HERCULES C-130 Turboprop Aircraft Select Your Currency $6,150,000 Aircraft Location: Goodyear Seller Information View Seller Information Jet Fleet Aviation LLC Contact: Steve Gage Phoenix, Arizona General Year 1957 Manufacturer LOCKHEED Model HURCULES C-130 Serial Number 560511 Condition Used Description Currently flying, Seller buying larger aircraft, USA based & registered. STRICT Terms of sale: Buyer, End-user, and related parties must be in good standing with, and in compliance with, all U.S. laws and regulations, and Buyer and End user in compliance with all required United States permits/paperwork for this type aircraft. (Thank You). Offered subject to signed sales agreement between Buyer/Seller including all U.S. Government required paperwork. Principals only please, no commissions will be paid to 3rd parties. Currently flying. Not eligible for Standard Airworthiness cert. Jet Fleet Aviation LLC is the Exclusive Sales Agent for this aircraft. Airframe Total Time 15,400 Airframe Notes Currently flying, Seller buying larger aircraft, Trades considered See below for Strict Terms and Conditions of Sale Engine 1 Engine 1 Make/Model ALLISON Engine 1 Time 3,193 CZI Engine 1 TBO 3,500 Engine 2 Engine 2 Make/Model ALLISON Engine 2 Time 2,870 CZI Engine 2 Notes Engines 3/4 are low time: 78 & 412 hours . On Condition Auxiliary Power Unit APU Yes APU Notes Garrett GTC-85 APU Props Prop 1 Manufacturer HAMILTON STANDARD Number of Blades 4 Prop Notes 4 Bladed Avionics Flight Deck Manufacturer/Model GARMIN Multi-Function Display 1 Manufacturer/Model GARMIN GMX200 GPS 1 Manufacturer/Model GARMIN GNS430AW GPS 2 Manufacturer/Model GARMIN GNS430AW Transponder 1 Manufacturer/Model GARMIN GTX330ES ADS-B Equipped Yes Additional Equipment Additional Equipment Currently flying, USA based & registered. Modifications/Conversions Modifications/Conversions Jet Fleet Aviation LLC is the exclusive Sales Agent for this aircraft. Inspection Status Inspection Status Fresh C-check in 2021 **Payment stated above assumes a secured commercial loan transaction available to highly qualified applicants and listings between $1,500,000.01 - $6,250,000 assumes terms of 5 years with a 20-year amortization, 20% down payment and 6.25% APR. Actual terms available may vary depending on applicant and/or guarantor credit profile(s) and additional approval conditions. Financing approval may require pledge of collateral as security. Applicant credit profile including FICO is used for credit review. Commercial financing provided or arranged by Express Tech-Financing, LLC pursuant to California Finance Lender License #60DBO54873. Consumer financing arranged by Express Tech-Financing, LLC pursuant to California Finance Lender License #60DBO54873 and state licenses listed at this link. Consumer financing not available for consumers residing in Nevada, Vermont. Additional state restrictions may apply. Equal opportunity lender. https://www.controller.com/listing/for-sale/223645715/1957-lockheed-hurcules-c-130-turboprop-aircraft?fbclid=IwAR29owMpU7CVg-sysOtBsSijBgmkqTKw0ix2qlYcvsGPReRIbLfzi0hwFvw_aem_th_AYsLQ_X1QpQ53y8RqERV92R5Ua_f4wd-RbDImu-rIVyPmZUAFq0Rq7ahZjVF1XeHHhs&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

23 May 1969 A drunken U.S. Air Force assistant crew chief, Sgt. Paul Adams Meyer, 23, of Poquoson, Virginia, suffering anxiety over marital problems, started up a Lockheed C-130E Hercules, #63-7789, c/n 3856, of the 36th Tactical Airlift Squadron, 316th Tactical Airlift Wing, on hardstand 21 at RAF Mildenhall and took off in it at 0655 hrs. CET, headed for Langley AFB, Virginia. At least two North American F-100 Super Sabres of the 493d Tactical Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, a C-130 from Mildenhall, and two RAF English Electric Lightnings were sent aloft to try to make contact with the stolen aircraft. The Hercules flew over the Thames estuary and headed south toward Brighton. After flying over the English Channel, Meyer turned northwest. North of Cherbourg he changed direction, heading south to a point 30 miles north of Alderney. The Hercules crashed into the English Channel off Alderney (5000N, 0205W) ~90 minutes later. In the last transmission from Meyer, to his wife, in a link-up over the side-band radio, he stated 'Leave me alone for about five minutes, I've got trouble.' There was speculation whether the Hercules was shot down. Some wreckage was recovered but the pilot's body was never found. Meyer had been arrested for being drunk and disorderly earlier in the morning in the village of Freckenham and had been remanded to quarters, but sneaked out to steal the Hercules.

Final RAF C-130J mission set for 17 June as Hercules retirement nears By Dominic Perry17 April 2023 The UK’s long history as an operator of the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules will all but come to an end on 17 June when the Royal Air Force (RAF) performs its final mission with the type. Consisting of a three-ship fly-past as part of the King’s Birthday celebrations, the sortie will be a bittersweet moment ahead of the official retirement of the RAF’s remaining J-model aircraft on 30 June. Defence officials announced in 2021’s Integrated Review that the 15-strong C-130J fleet would be retired by 2023 due to cost savings, with operations transitioning to the Airbus Defence & Space A400M. That date was subsequently extended until end-June due to availability issues with the European type. Group Captain Gareth Burdett, Commander Air Wing – Air Mobility, says just six Hercules remain in RAF service. Those already withdrawn from use have been relocated to Marshall Aerospace in Cambridge where they are being prepared for sale. Although concerns had been raised at the A400M’s ability to take on all the missions performed by the smaller C-130J, Burdett says the Atlas has risen to the challenge. “There will be some capability gaps in very niche areas, all of the capability improvements have been significantly accelerated since the decision to sunset the Hercules was taken. “Many have been brought forward by a number of years and the most critical capabilities have had the gap eradicated.” He cites the A400M’s better range and payload over the C-130J, and its short-runway performance, as key attributes for end-users. “What our customers are saying is that they appreciate the benefits and enhancements the A400M can bring over the C-130 in almost every regard that enables them to deliver their mission more effectively,” he says. Reliability and availability have been a concern for all users of the A400M, with the type’s Europrop TP400 engines posing a particular issue. Burdett says the situation has improved thanks to joint efforts by Airbus Defence & Space and the Ministry of Defence, adding: “While we are yet to see the full benefit that their brochure promised, certainly we are seeing a stable and useable amount of aircraft that reflects the availability we’d expect from other [transport aircraft] fleets.” Cirium fleet data shows the RAF as operating 21 A400Ms; a 22nd and final example will be delivered by the end of the month, adds Burdett. Burdett, who is qualified on the C-130, has responsibility for the RAF’s Brize Norton-based transport fleet which includes the A400M, A330 Voyager multi-role tanker transport, and Boeing C-17. The UK has been a C-130 operator since the mid-1960s, taking delivery of its latest J-model examples from 1999.

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 awareness, along with other functions, as well. The forthcoming AC-130 AESA testing was highlighted during a briefing last week by members of U.S. Special Operations Command's (SOCOM) Program Executive Office for Fixed Wing aircraft (PEO-FW), which The War Zone, among others, attended. That event was held as part of an annual special operations-focused conference now called SOF Week. ADVERTISING An AC-130J Ghostrider. USAF "We have a tech demo coming up, where we've got a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement [CRADA] to do an AESA radar on an AC-130 gunship," one of the representatives from PEO-FW said. The testing will help SOCOM "see what capabilities that can help us bring to the fight." A CRADA is a process wherein the U.S. military partners with a private company or research institution on a particular project, but without a traditional contract award. CRADAs typically involve various degrees of sharing of resources and the results of any testing in lieu of a typical exchange of funds. What specific AESA SOCOM plans to test on the AC-130J is not currently known. This is, of course, not the first time SOCOM, together with the Air Force, has looked into equipped AC-130s with a radar of this general type. In 2015, SOCOM revealed that it had been testing the AN/ASQ-236 Dragon's Eye radar pod on its gunships as part of an earlier CRADA. The pod was flight tested on at least one AC-130 mounted on a pylon under the right wing. An AN/ASQ-236 Dragon's Eye radar pod under the wing of an AC-130 gunship. USAF The AN/ASQ-236 features an AESA radar that is capable of rotating left and right along the pod's center axis. It has a synthetic aperture functionality that is said to be sensitive enough to generate near photo-quality radar maps and to spot shallow-buried objects, such as improvised explosive devices and individuals in dugouts. It also has a GMTI capability that is reportedly able to track moving vehicles and ships. The complete pod has the ability to geo-locate targets that the radar spots and systems required to keep everything cool. SOCOM and the Air Force ultimately determined Dragon's Eye, at least in the form available at the time, to be unsuitable for use on the AC-130. The exact reasons for this remain unclear. “The AC-130J does not have a sensor system that enables adverse weather engagements by detecting and tracking targets obscured by weather, smoke and haze or obscurants,” according to the Pentagon's Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation's annual report for the 2016 Fiscal Year. “Earlier efforts to integrate an AN/ASQ-236 radar pod were unsuccessful.” Dragon's Eye is currently primarily carried by Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles and F-16C/D Viper combat jets, though it has also been tested on other platforms, in addition to the AC-130, like the B-52 bomber. A new variant or derivative of Dragon's Eye, or another podded AESA radar, mounted under the wing or using an add-on pylon installed on the AC-130J's right-side rear paratrooper doors might still be an option. The left-side door on the Ghostrider is already taken up with the aircraft's 105mm howitzer. An example of a modified C-130 rear paratrooper door with an add-on pylon with a pod attached. via ThinkDefence.co.uk Other podded AESA radars with still significant synthetic aperture and/or GMTI functionality do exist, including ones small enough to be mounted on drones. Some of these, such as the AN/ZPY-5 Vehicle and Dismount Exploitation Radar (VADER) and IMSAR NSP-series, are in U.S. military service now or have otherwise been evaluated already by SOCOM. A radar using some other kind of mounting arrangement could be another possibility. For example, earlier this year, Marshall Aerospace in the United Kingdom unveiled a roll-on/roll-off palletized AESA radar system for C-130-series aircraft that uses conformal antennas installed in modified rear paratrooper doors. A portion of Marshall Aerospace's palletized radar system for use on C-130-series aircraft. Marshall Aerospace A number of older AC-130 variants had a sensor called Black Crow, which included an antenna inside a dome, installed on the left side of the 'cheek' area. Black Crow was designed to pick up electrical impulses generated by the spark plugs in trucks and other vehicles with internal combustion engines. This could be an ideal location for a side-facing AESA radar on the AC-130J, but it would come at an aerodynamic penalty, which really is nothing new for the bristling AC-130. The same sensor installation arrangement stuck around long after the war ended. USAF Regardless, compared to older mechanically-scanned types, AESA radars offer significant benefits. This includes being typically able to spot objects of interest, even those with low radar cross-sections, faster and do so with greater precision and fidelity. AESAs also generally have very fast scanning and return rates, and can perform multiple functions near-simultaneously. In addition, AESAs have improved resistance to radiofrequency jamming. With no need for a mechanical assembly to steer the antenna, systems that can often be very complex in their own right, radars of this type are more reliable, too. The improved capabilities AESAs would offer at their core have further benefits when combined with other kinds of functionality, including synthetic aperture mapping and imaging and ground-moving target indicator (GMTI) modes. The feed from an AN/ZPY-5 VADER radar as an example of AESA GMTI functionality overlaid on top of a topographical map. DHS Compared to the electro-optical and infrared full-motion video cameras already found on the Air Force's AC-130Js, an AESA radar is also capable of functioning in any weather and of 'seeing' through dense smoke, dust, and other obscurants. This includes modern chemical smokescreens specifically developed to defeat optical and infrared sensors. The Ghostrider's existing cameras do have various low-light-level and thermal capabilities, though an AESA can also work at night just the same as day. AESAs have the additional benefit of being immune to optical dazzlers and infrared interference, which are an increasing issue on the battlefield, as well. Altogether, a modern AESA with a good field of view could be particularly useful on an AC-130 gunship for targeting and more general intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). But depending on how deeply integrated such a system would become into the AC-130J's complex mission systems suite, it could prove even more valuable. The AESA radar would also spot targets for further investigation using the AC-130J's other sensors, or vice versa. This, in turn, could improve the ability of the aircraft's crew to positively identify targets rapidly, including in very bad weather and in dense urban or otherwise complex environments. Paired with advanced software algorithms and advanced back-end processing, these systems can automatically spot targets or patterns of interest and alert operators as to their proposed classification and location. Once targets are found and identified, an AESA radar can be very valuable for helping AC-130J crews actually engage them, especially at stand-off ranges. As it stands now, Ghostriders rely heavily on off-board platforms to make the most of their longer-range munitions, such as the GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) and its laser-guided variant that can hit moving targets, although the latter needs something nearby lasing the target directly to do so. The standard SDB, which can only be used against fixed threats, has a stated maximum range of more than 40 nautical miles. The Ghostrider is already in line to receive the much-improved GBU-53/B StormBreaker, which has a new multi-mode seeker system that gives it the ability to engage moving targets over its entire range without laser designation occuring. You can read all about StormBreaker here. A true self-contained ability to engage moving targets at stand-off ranges in any weather, which the AC-130J does not have now, would be a major capability boost by itself. An AESA would make this possible by providing the initial targeting and datalink updates for StormBreaker. The AC-130J's need for longer-range target acquisition capabilities is only set to increase as its arsenal gains ever more capable precision-guided munitions able to hit targets further and further away. During SOF Week 2023, SOCOM's PEO-FW also highlighted interest specifically in adding new stand-off strike capabilities through the acquisition of small and miniature "cruise missiles" for use on the Ghostrider and other aircraft. An AC-130J in the anechoic chamber at Edwards AFB. (USAF) "Miniature" in this instance would be something small enough to fit inside a standardized Common Launch Tube (CLT). "Small" refers to larger designs that would be launched via a more traditional pylon or something like the Air Force's Rapid Dragon palletized munitions system. Smaller and lower-cost air-to-surface munitions with stand-in, if not stand-off range have been of interest to SOCOM and the Air Force for some years now. An AESA radar could be used to help direct the AC-130J's 30mm automatic cannon and 105mm howitzer during shorter-range engagements, too. This would give the gunships another way to engage threats with those weapons even through cloud cover, smoke, or heavy dust. An AC-130J Ghostrider with its 30mm automatic cannon, at left, and its 105mm howizter, at right, visible. USAF Advanced mission systems, potentially leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, could be used to fuse data from multiple sensors on the Ghostrider in various ways to further improve its overall targeting and ISR capabilities. The aforementioned help in automating target recognition and categorization could be especially useful for gunship crews. SOCOM is already exploring the possibility of adding artificial intelligence-driven targeting and other capabilities onto the AC-130J, as well as other aircraft, in the future. Depending on the type of AESA and its capabilities, how it is mounted, and especially how deeply it is integrated into the AC-130J's mission systems, it could potentially be used in a secondary role to provide additional threat warning, electronic attack, and general situational awareness. Such capabilities could be further integrated into the AC-130J's already extensive and still-expanding electronic warfare systems. Beyond helping to detect incoming threats along with other onboard systems, it could be used as a very powerful electronic warfare emitter, helping to protect the AC-130J but also working in an offensive EW capacity as a secondary capability set. Improving the AC-130J's ability to spot and track targets at extended ranges, as well as its intelligence-gathering, situational awareness, and even self-protection capabilities, could be especially important in the coming years. For decades now, gunships like the Ghostrider have been primarily employed in counter-terrorism and other lower-end combat operations in largely permissive airspace. ith the U.S. military's ongoing shift in focus to preparing for higher-end fights, with a specific eye toward a potential conflict with China in the Pacific, there are growing questions about what the future might hold for gunships like the AC-130, in general. One possibility, which would be further enabled by the addition of an AESA radar, could be the more localized use of the AC-130J for force protection missions of austere outposts — such as on islands — on the outer edges of the enemy's anti-access capabilities. Being able to detect anything of interest for many miles around an island and leveraging its high-end communications and self-protection suites in the process, an AC-130 could provide an inner layer of awareness for U.S. forces in remote locales. Its ability to kill any of those targets and at a distance gives it all that much more relevance. Once again, it all depends on how this capability evolves. To start, if just a basic GMTI and SAR functionality can be had, that would be a big leap in itself. But more robust abilities could soon follow. So, while the results of this new round of testing of an AESA on the AC-130J remain to be seen, adding this kind of radar to the Ghostrider would make great sense. Coupled with other potential upgrades and new weaponry, the radar could be an important addition to help ensure the relevance of these gunships in future higher-end scenarios.

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, and it is probably keeping Chinese military leaders up at night. Chinese military officials are likely alarmed by the Air Force’s efforts to launch cruise missiles out of cargo aircraft, according to an analysis by a U.S. Air Force civilian researcher who specializes in Chinese aerospace studies. Launching weapons out of cargo aircraft could complicate an enemy’s targeting priorities, make it more difficult for them to detect an incoming threat, and give the U.S. and its allies more options for striking the enemy at a low cost. That enemy may be China’s People’s Liberation Army in the near future, if the predictions of U.S. national security officials prove accurate. “[T]he PLA likely regards Rapid Dragon in particular as a credible threat,” wrote Derek Solen, a senior researcher at the U.S. Air Force’s China Aerospace Studies Institute, in a Dec. 22 article for The Jamestown Foundation, a national security think tank based in Washington, D.C. A palletized munitions system falls from the cargo hold of a 352d Special Operations Wing MC-130J Commando II during a live-fire demonstration for ATREUS 22-4 at Andøya Space Defense Range, Norway, Nov. 9, 2022. (Tech. Sgt. Brigette Waltermire/U.S. Air National Guard) Rapid Dragon is the name for the Air Force effort to launch long-range missiles from cargo pallets dropped out of the back of cargo aircraft. In November, two Air Force MC-130Js successfully conducted a live-fire demonstration of Rapid Dragon using a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile over Norway. “An MC-130J is the perfect aircraft for this capability because we can land and operate from a 3,000-foot highways and austere landing zones whereas a bomber cannot,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Valerie Knight, mission commander of the 352d Special Operations Wing during the operation, in a November press release following the successful Rapid Dragon test. The JASSM’s long range, combined with the MC-130J’s ability to land where bombers cannot, would be bad news for any possible enemies, and PLA leaders seem to have noticed, according to Solen’s analysis. Solen drew his observations from an article published Nov. 22 in the Science and Technology Section of China National Defense News, which the researcher described as “a sister publication of the PLA Daily, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Central Military Commission, which is equivalent to the U.S. Defense Department.” The article, written by a man named Xi Qizhi, was “almost alarmist,” wrote Solen. “In a state of war, sorties by transport aircraft far exceed those of bombers, and opponents have difficulty tracking them closely,” wrote Xi, according to Solen. “When a transport aircraft carrying palletized munitions flies to just outside a defensive perimeter and fires stealth cruise missiles, it is generally difficult to detect and discover it.” Airmen and riggers with the 1st Special Operations Squadron Logistics Readiness Squadron load a Rapid Dragon Palletized Weapon System aboard an MC-130J Commando II at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Dec. 13, 2021. (Staff Sgt. Brandon Esau/U.S. Air Force) Xi predicted that once a transport aircraft is armed with palletized munitions, “the agility of the U.S. military’s distributed method for strike missions and the suddenness of those strikes will increase immensely.” Indeed, increasing strike agility is part of the goal of Rapid Dragon. “Rapidly deployable palletized munitions can saturate the airspace with multiple weapons and effects, complicate adversary targeting solutions, help open access for critical target prosecution, and deplete an adversary’s air defense munitions stockpile,” wrote the Air Force Research Laboratory on its website page about the program. In fact, the reason why the program revolves around putting missiles on cargo pallets is so that the weapons can be rolled on and off a cargo transport without any modifications to the aircraft. The Air Force alone has more than 200 C-130s, while the Navy and Coast Guard have a few dozen more. More than 40 countries fly the C-130, the Air Force wrote, so if U.S. allies want to drop palletized munitions, they likely have the means to do so. “It’s really easily exportable to our partners and allies around the globe that may want to increase the utility of their air force,” said then-head of Air Force Special Operations Command Lt. Gen. Jim Slife last year about Rapid Dragon. “When you look at partner capability, we have a lot of partners around the globe that don’t have heavy bomber-type platforms that would be traditional carriers of those types of munitions, but they’ve got plenty of C-130s proliferated around the world.” A 352d Special Operations Wing MC-130J Commando II conducts a rehearsal flight 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 proliferation of C-130s is one of the factors that makes Xi worried about Rapid Dragon, Solen wrote. Still, not all Chinese writers appear to share that view. Solen noted an article that appeared on Nov. 16 in the international section of China National Defense News where the writer, Liu Haochang, cited unnamed “analysts” saying that it would be “excessively wishful thinking” for U.S. military planners to hope that efforts like Rapid Dragon would complicate an enemy’s targeting picture. “To a military with sufficient air defense forces, any enemy military aircraft in the midst of an armed clash is a target for strikes,” Liu cited the analysts saying, according to Solen. However, Solen pointed out a factor that appears to hurt the credibility of Liu’s analysis. The international section of China National Defense News “usually downplays the efforts of Beijing’s enemies,” while the science and technology section in which Xi’s article appeared “tends to publish straight news,” he said. The downplaying is evident when Liu tries to quote a U.S. defense industry official’s doubts about efforts such as Rapid Dragon, but the writer ends up misattributing the quote and embellishing its meaning. Liu tried to quote an executive from defense company L3Harris saying that Rapid Dragon “will not help resolve the compositional problem of its fleet of military aircraft,” Solen said. However, the Defense News article that Liu cites does not feature such a quote from a L3Harris official. The Defense News article does cite Heather Penney, an analyst for the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, who said that the Air Force still suffers from having a too-small, too-old aircraft fleet. However, Liu may have “intentionally misattributed this remark to the executive in order to create the impression that greater doubt exists about the USAF’s endeavor within the U.S. itself,” Solen said. It is true that the Air Force fleet is no spring chicken, but Solen remarked that getting more use out of aircraft by expanding their mission sets would be welcome even in a younger fleet. More individuals within the Chinese defense establishment probably agree with Xi rather than Liu, Solen argued. “[I]n this case, the PLA likely regards Rapid Dragon in particular as a credible threat,” he wrote. “The PLA is likely to regard the seriousness of that threat as significantly greater if Rapid Dragon is shared with American allies.” Rapid Dragon is not the only U.S. Air Force effort to get more use out of its aging fleet of aircraft. Last August, the service also tried out using the venerable B-52 bomber as a cargo hauler in order to bring maintenance equipment out to the battlefield with them. In December, the Air Force also tried using a C-17 transport jet to refuel a B-2 stealth bomber, which “had never been done before,” according to a press release. Top Air Force leaders are working hard to encourage a climate of experimentation among the rank-and-file, with many officials framing it as a requirement if the service hopes to defeat China in a possible war. Gen. Mike Minihan, the head of Air Mobility Command, which controls many of the Air Force’s C-130s and C-17s, said the time to conduct such experiments is now. “I’d rather test that out now than try to figure that out when the shooting’s going on,” he said in front of thousands of airmen and aerospace industry members in September. “Nobody is going to care what our plans are for five to 10 years if we lose tomorrow,” he added. “Our toys, our training, our desires are meaningless unless we maneuver them to unfair advantage and unrepentant lethality.”

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 for delivery next year. “The C-130J-30 is a significant investment in strategic airlift capability that delivers domestically and globally. This aircraft is likely to be the first response option for missions in our region or further afield supporting both the NZDF and other Government agencies,” says Sarah Minson, Deputy Secretary of Capability Delivery at the Ministry. “While we are a South Pacific nation, our ability to be part of the region requires a capability that can get people and equipment to where they need to be, often over long distances, and always at short notice. Since 1965, the C-130H has given us this capability, and it has been used extensively. The C-130J will continue that legacy of service.” The bulkhead signing ceremony on 11 May (US time) signified significant progress and the formal commencement of New Zealand’s new C-130 fleet through production. Attendees were able to tour the factory floor and see the aircraft take shape as components of the fuselage were bought together. Five new aircraft will begin arriving in Aotearoa in 2024, with the full fleet operating from 2025.

I agree, but why at all, what's Cannon? Based on the article, that's everything cannon already has, hence the moniker AFSOC West...

New Wing at Davis-Monthan Will Include AC-130s, MC-130s, CSAF Says April 27, 2023 | By Greg Hadley The Special Operations “Power Projection Wing” planned for Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., will include MC-130s, AC-130s, and “light attack” aircraft—probably the new Sky Wardens—Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. told Congress on April 27. The new mix of Air Force Special Operations Command aircraft will replace the A-10s now based at Davis-Monthan as they are retired in coming years. The Air Force cited plans for the 492nd Power Projection Wing in its 2024 budget request and subsequently confirmed those plans to Air & Space Forces Magazine. But exactly which aircraft would be included was not clear until now. Asked by Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) to provide more details, Brown said the Power Projection Wing would be “bringing in our MC-130s, AC-130s, light attack aircraft.” The MC-130 is a tanker/mobility aircraft, used by Special Operations Forces for covert day, night, and adverse weather infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply. The AC-130 gunship is used for convoy escort, point defense, and support in urban combat. Based on the Air Tractor AT-802 crop duster, the heavily modified Sky Warden won the Armed Overwatch competition. The aircraft will replace Air Force Special Operations Command’s aging fleet of U-28A Draco ISR aircraft and augment remotely piloted MQ-9 Reaper drones when they reach initial operational capability in 2026. Also headed to Davis-Monthan are new EC-37 Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft and HH-60W Jolly Green II search and rescue helicopters. “Their access to the ranges that are there in Arizona and in the western United States will increase their training opportunity,” Brown said of all the new aircraft. Brown pledged the Air Force would work with local stakeholders and base officials to manage the flow of new Airmen to Davis-Monthan as the new wing stands up. Gallego was one of four Arizona lawmakers—including Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.)—to release a joint letter earlier this month saying they were “encouraged by the Air Force’s intention to bring new, durable flying missions” to Davis-Monthan and urging Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall to expand efforts to keep the local community informed. Kendall did that in an April 19-20 visit to Davis-Monthan. A new Site Activation Task Force has already convened to consider what military construction and related changes might be needed at the base.

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, 1 minute, after taking off from Marietta, Georgia. The flight crew, led by Chief Production Pilot Joe Garrett, flew the Hercules in a racetrack pattern over Georgia and Alabama, and for all but 36 minutes of the flight, the outboard engines were shut down and their propellers feathered. The Lockheed Model 382 was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration 16 February 1965. http://static.thisdayinaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/tdia//2016/04/14493207819_fa153bc6f5_o.jpg Lockheed personnel celebrate the 25 hour, 1 minute first flight of the commercial L-100 Hercules. (Lockheed Martin) The L-382 was powered by four Allison 501-D22 turboprop engines, rated at 3,755 shaft horsepower at 13,820 r.p.m., and driving four-bladed Hamilton Standard Hydromatic constant-speed, reversible-pitch propellers with a diameter of 13 feet, 6 inches (4.115 meters). at 1,020 r.p.m. Maximum operating altitude 32,600 feet (9.936 meters) http://static.thisdayinaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/tdia//2016/04/14677497114_033128ee73_o.jpg N1130E at Fairbanks, leased to Alaska Airlines, 1965. (Lockheed Martin) N1130E was retained by Lockheed as a demonstrator, however it was briefly leased to Alaska Airlines in March 1965, and returned the following month. The L-382 was converted to the L382E-44K-20 standard in April 1968, with a 5 foot, 0 inch (1.524 meters) segment added to the fuselage behind the cockpit, and a 3 foot, 4 inch (1.016 meter) section behind the wing. http://static.thisdayinaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/tdia//2016/04/large.3946M.jpg.3762a786d178a51b4d55d531ae33a2b3.jpg N1130E’s fuselage was cut in two places to accommodate an 8 foot, 4 inch (2.540 meter) stretch. (c-130hercules.net) http://static.thisdayinaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/tdia//2016/04/3946.jpg N1130E after conversion to the L100-20 configuration, at Lockheed-Burbank Airport, 1968. (c-130hercules.net) N1130E was leased to Delta Air Lines in October 1968, and returned after six months. Lockheed sold N1130E to Pepsico Airlease Corporation, who leased the freighter to Flying W Airways. It was reregistered as N50FW. In March 1973 Pepsico sold it to Philippine Aerotransport and it was operated for the Philippine government, first as PI-97, then RP-97, and finally, RP-C97. The Hercules was placed in storage in March 1981. With a total flight time of 13,144.8 hours, it was scrapped 18 February 2014. http://static.thisdayinaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/tdia//2016/04/5940964615_172e35854e_b.jpg The first commercial Lockheed L-100, s/n 3946, in service with the Republic of the Philippines. (Ken Fielding via flickr) After sixty-four years, the Lockheed Hercules remains in production, and both military and civil versions are in service worldwide. http://static.thisdayinaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/tdia//2016/04/LM-100J.png Lockheed Martin Model 382J Super Hercules, N100J. (Lockheed Martin) https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/20-21-april-1964/?fbclid=IwAR0AJRKJYs5hE6t0oPoITWWCHbAtZpahT9KuuFHOUtAAJdBDq1V06PMwc18&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

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 included Lt Gen Tony Bauernfeind, AFSOC commander, to pay homage to the heroic legacy and service the Talon II has provided for AFSOC and the joint force over the past 30 years. “Today marks the end of a legacy for one of the finest airplanes ever flown in AFSOC,” said Bauernfeind. “The MC-130H Combat Talon II, or as the crews that’ve flown it call it: “The Chariot of Armageddon,” held a critical mission of special operations forces mobility in infiltrating and exfiltrating into many of the hardest locations in the world while upholding the Talon Standard of absolute precision. I’m very proud of the entire Talon community; the crews, maintainers, and operations support personnel.” Initially arriving at Hurlburt Field in June 1992, the MC-130H Combat Talon II is a derivative of the C-130H Hercules modified for special operations and played a vital role in AFSOC operations across the globe. The mission of the Combat Talon ll was to provide infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operations forces and equipment in hostile and denied territories, while also providing a secondary air refueling capability for helicopters and vertical lift platforms. Additionally, it also provided SOF commanders with an all-weather, low-level penetration option utilizing its terrain following capabilities. The standard aircrew complement for the MC-130H was seven consisting of two pilots, a navigator, two loadmasters, a flight engineer, and an electronic warfare officer. “The Talon II was a navigator’s dream due to the planning required and systems expertise necessary to fly it,” said Col. Richard Greszler, Jr., AFSOC Operations Center commander and prior MC-130H navigator. “The ability to fly in mountainous terrain in [instrument meteorological conditions] required extremely detailed mission planning, so every flight required the whole crew to understand the limitations of the aircraft and the crew, and to push right up to the edge in order to be successful. The ability to project power and penetrate denied or sensitive areas to further our Nation’s interest was the hallmark of the Talon II.” Over the last 30 years, the Combat Talon ll was critical to many missions from evacuations of civilians from the Republic of the Congo in 1997, to enduring counterterror and counter-violent extremist organizations (C-VEO) operations. “The legacy of the Talon II fills me with pride,” Greszler said. “Pride in a community which looked to be tasked to defend our Nation no matter the danger. The aircraft was an amazing machine, but it was the men and women who crewed and maintained the Chariot of Armageddon that made it special. They constantly strove to improve and never let their teammates down.” With the completion of the final trip to AMARG, the MC-130H fleet has approximately 264,442 total flight hours and 106,850 sorties since its start of operations in late 1992. Replacing the MC-130H, along with the retired E and P models, is the MC-130J Commando II, which has been in operation since 2011. The Commando II flies clandestine, or low visibility, single or multi-ship, low-level infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operations forces, by airdrop or airland and air refueling missions for special operations helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft, intruding politically sensitive or hostile territories. The MC-130J primarily flies missions at night to reduce probability of visual acquisition and intercept by airborne threats. The last MC-130H in the 1st SOW’s inventory will be retired later this summer in Hurlburt Field’s airpark, cementing the retirement of the Talon II fleet in AFSOC. Below are a few of the notable MC-130H tail numbers and missions that highlight the various missions the Combat Talon II will be remembered for: 89-0280: Coined “The Highlander”, 89-0280 is one of the few Combat Talon II aircraft to have been stationed at every permanent duty location for Talon II aircraft, it was later the first aircraft to respond and land at Sendai International Airport during Operation Tomadachi following the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in Fukushima, Japan on March 16, 2011. The mission to Sendai opened the airfield for mass follow-on relief missions, and the first C-17 was able to land four hours later. 85-0011: Coined “The Ace of Spades”, aircraft 85-0011 is known for transporting Saddam Hussein after his capture near the town of Tikrit in December 2003. Additionally, this aircraft participated in earthquake relief efforts during a 1997 JCET down in Venezuela. During the immediate aftermath, the crew of 0011 airlifted 175,000 lbs of supplies and received the Order of Jose Antonio Anzoategui, Venezuela’s highest medal for gallantry. 86-1699: Coined “Merlin’s Magic”, it participated in Operation Firm Response to conduct a 14.4 flight hour NEO of 56 non-combatants from the Republic of the Congo in 1997. 89-0283: This aircraft was the fourth of four Talons that opened OEF as a Rhino Raider in 2001. Rhino LZ was the first combat airfield seizure in Afghanistan in 2001. Additionally, 0283 conducted the exfil of Hamid Karzai on November 4, 2001. This aircraft also conducted a BLU-82 drop on Masir-e-Sharif and participated in the 2008 Colombia hostage rescue. https://www.afsoc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3356795/the-last-of-them-the-boneyard-receives-final-mc-130h/

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. The Combat Talon II divestment process was slowed down significantly due to concerns about the MC-130J's terrain-following and terrain avoidance capabilities, which are critical to its core mission sets, with its original radar. It is unclear how many MC-130Js have received the Silent Knight Radar, or SKR, to date, but Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) told The War Zone that the plan is to eventually integrate it onto each one of its Commando IIs. AFSOC currently has 56 MC-130Js and is planning to acquire a full fleet of 64 of the planes. An MC-130J with the Silent Knight Radar fitted above its nose. Sierra Nevada Corporation Sierra Nevada Corporation Currently, the MC-130J is the only C-130-based transport/tanker within AFSOC, at least that we know about. The service divested the last MC-130H earlier this month. Two Combat Talon IIs are now set to go on display, one each at Hurlburt Field in Florida and Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico. Air Combat Command (ACC) also operates somewhat similarly configured HH-130J Combat King II combat search and rescue aircraft, which have transport and aerial refueling capabilities. "AFSOC... has accelerated developmental testing on the Silent Knight Radar," a spokesperson for the command told The War Zone in a statement. The MC-130J's core mission sets include inserting special operations forces into denied areas, as well as extracting them from those kinds of locations. Being able to fly at very low levels and otherwise use terrain to hide from enemy forces, and especially from their air defense radars, and do so in under the cover of darkness and in bad weather, is absolutely essential to the success of these kinds of operations. An MC-130J Commando II without the Silent Knight Radar installed. USAF Terrain following and terrain avoidance capabilities can also be useful for the MC-130J's additional aerial refueling mission. Commando IIs can carry a probe-and-drogue refueling pod under each wing to provide fuel in mid-air to V-22 Osprey tilt-rotors, including AFSOC's CV-22Bs, and helicopters, such as MH-60 Black Hawks and MH-47 Chinooks belonging to the Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. These missions also routinely occur at lower altitudes and at night. The original expectation was that the MC-130J would be able to use a version of the AN/APN-241 multi-function radar found on all standard C-130J Hercules airlifters to provide the necessary terrain-following and terrain avoidance capabilities. This turned out not to be the case, as you can read more about here. The decision was then made to integrate the proven SKR onto the Commando II. This radar is set to become a common terrain-following/terrain avoidance radar across the U.S. special operations aviation community as a whole, also being integrated into Air Force CV-22B tilt-rotors and Army MH-60M and MH-47G helicopters. A U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) briefing slide showing Silent Knight Radars installed on Army MH-60M Black Hawk and MH-47G Chinook helicopters. SOCOM On the MC-130J, the SKR is installed on top of the aircraft's nose, as a complement to the existing AN/APN-241. A head-on view of an MC-130J Commando II with the Silent Knight Radar installed. USAF The limitations of the original radar on the MC-130J prompted AFSOC to significantly alter its plans for retiring the older MC-130Hs. Originally, the Air Force expected to have divested the last of its Combat Talon IIs, which have a distinctive gonzo nose to accommodate the very large AN/APQ-170 radar, by 2012. An MC-130H Combat Talon II. USAF The story of the AN/APQ-170 is a saga unto itself, as you can read more about here, and delayed the entry of the MC-130H into service until 1991. Combat Talon IIs arrived too late to take part in the first Gulf War, but did go on to support operations in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq, among other places. In the opening phase of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, MC-130Hs carrying U.S. Army Special Forces personnel, or Green Berets, conducted the longest publicly known low-level infiltration sorties since World War II as part of a mission known as Operation Ugly Baby. Turkish authorities had denied the U.S. military the use of the country's airspace over issues relating to Kurdish groups in northern Iraq. Without access to Turkish airspace, the Combat Talon IIs launched from Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base in Romania on the night of March 22, 2003. They then had to ingress from the west and fly a convoluted route that took them along most of Iraq's western and northern borders to try to get safely around the country's defenses. The route also required stripping down the aircraft as much as possible and leaving behind anything that wasn't necessary to reduce weight and extend range. A map showing a portion of the route taken by Air Force MC-130Hs during Operation Ugly Baby, as well as the locations of Iraqi forces. The "Green Line" noted in Northern Iraq reflects a boundary at the time between semi-autonomous Kurdish regions and the rest of the country. U.S. Army "The planes taking off were staggered, which allowed the Iraqis to adjust fire as each plane flew the route to Bashur and Sulaymaniyah L.Z.s [landing zones]. The last few planes received the most contact from anti-air," according to an official history of the mission. "Most of the flight had been an average ride until the aircrew started to receive enemy fire. At that point, the airplane initiated evasive maneuvers to avoid taking too much damage. During the rollercoaster of a ride, the pilots had to change elevation throughout the flurry of rounds, sometimes reaching nearly 200 ft off the ground and at near top speeds with as many as 60 Green Berets on board." Army Green Berets inside an MC-130H during Operation Ugly Baby. US Army One of the Combat Talon IIs was so severely damaged as a result that it had to divert into Turkey. "We passed over a small [Iraqi] convoy, and they started firing everything from shoulder-fired Surface to Air Missile Systems to pistols and everything in between," Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jefferey Elwell, who as an Operation Detachment Alpha (ODA) team sergeant with the 10th Special Forces Group at the time, said an in an official interview. "The lights came on, and the pilots declared an inflight emergency which would have them divert landing into Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. As the ramp came down, everyone started running as they realized aviation fluid was spilling over the tarmac." A picture said to show damage to one of the MC-130Hs that took part in Operation Ugly Baby. U.S. Army Ultimately, MC-130Hs were able to insert 19 Special Forces ODAs, or A-Teams, as well as four special operations headquarters elements, as part of Ugly Baby. This helped establish a coalition foothold in northern Iraq in coordination with local Kurdish groups. Operation Ugly Baby underscores the immense importance of extremely low-level flight capabilities to AFSOC's MC-130 community and the vital need to integrate SKRs onto the Commando IIs as quickly as possible. AFSOC MC-130Js are also in the process of receiving other upgrades to their communications and data-sharing networking capabilities and their self-protection suite. The Air Force is exploring the possibility of fielding a subvariant of the MC-130J configured as a float plane. However, AFSOC told The War Zone in February that plans to conduct an actual demonstration of this capability this year have been pushed back, at least until 2024. The Pentagon's 2024 Fiscal Year budget request does show there remains significant interest in this project, with U.S. Special Operations Command asking for nearly $10.1 million in additional funding. This is a major increase over the $1.6 million that SOCOM received for MAC in Fiscal Year 2023. A rendering of an MC-130J converted into a floatplane. AFSOC https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/retirement-of-mc-130h-speeds-up-mc-130j-low-flying-radar-upgrade

There are not many acft equipped with the terrain following radar yet. So likely they will unmodded acft that would eventually get the mod,

The radar you are referring to is a mod.

yes, it does. The only unit.

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 unit to operate the Commando II. [ANG photo by MSgt. Alexander Farver] "This is a monumental day for the 193rd, ANG, and AFSOC. The Commando II mission will ensure the 193rd SOW remains not only relevant but also at the forefront of the battlespace for years to come," said Col. Edward Fink, 193rd SOW commander. Led by the efforts of unit conversion officer, Lt. Col. Benton Jackson, the wing has been preparing for its mission conversion since 2021. Jackson believes the hard work of 193rd SOW Airmen and the support of the community ultimately led to the completion of this successful first step. "Seeing the Commando II on our flightline is a tangible symbol of the progress we've made as a wing in bringing this versatile mission to central Pennsylvania," Jackson said. "It's an exciting time to be a part of this team, and I have the utmost confidence we have the right culture and people to continue with a successful mission conversion." For decades, the wing operated the EC-130J Commando Solo as part of the only airborne Military Information Support Operations broadcasting platform in the U.S. military. Col. Jaime Ramirez, 193rd Special Operations Maintenance Group commander, sees the move to Commando II as a major shift in the unit, AFSOC, and ANG. "The Commando II is the workhorse of the special operation, in that it performs many different types of missions, and performs them well," Ramirez said. "There is no doubt in my mind the aircraft that landed here today will be integral in any future conflict." Ramirez added that the wing's mission conversion is unprecedented, in that it was able to maintain full operating capabilities of the outgoing aircraft while simultaneously preparing for the arriving mission. "We were ready to maintain the Commando II well before it arrived, all while never losing a step in maintaining and launching EC-130s," Ramirez said. "That only happens if you have the best people. I'd put our maintainers up against anyone." While the 193rd SOMXG is prepared to maintain the aircraft, the 193rd Special Operations Group is postured to fly them immediately. Col. Gordon Frankenfield, 193rd SOG commander suggests that many of his airmen have a deep familiarity with the aircraft and mission set. "We've executed similar mission sets for years, which likely contributed to AFSOC trusting us with this critically valuable aircraft," Frankenfield said. "Our goal from day one has been to operate the Commando II with the same potency as an active duty unit, and our aircrews are trained and ready to make that a reality." Frankenfield sees Commando II's arrival in Pennsylvania as an important strategic move both domestically and abroad. "The 193rd now offers something the U.S. military didn't have before," Frankenfield said. Special Operations Forces based in the northeast now have a crucial air asset right in their backyard to build their combat readiness. Combatant commanders have a much more robust and versatile capability to project air power in different geographic regions." The aircraft's arrival under the cloak of the night was perhaps appropriate given the nature of its mission. The Commando II flies clandestine – or low visibility – single or multi-ship, low-level infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operations forces, by airdrop or airland and air refueling missions for special operations helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft, intruding politically sensitive or hostile territories. "The Commando II is the embodiment of Agile Combat Employment and will present complex dilemmas to our adversaries. It's a shadow in the dark, and sends a clear message that the U.S. military owns the night," Fink said. "The 193rd is ready today to add to the impressive lineage of the Commando II."

C-130 Seaplane Program Put On Back Burner (Updated) Funding challenges and ‘reprioritization of capabilities’ has resulted in an indefinite delay of the C-130 floatplane’s test flight. byHoward Altman| UPDATED Feb 2, 2023 6:57 PM Howard Altman The initial test flight of an amphibious MC-130J special operations transport was anticipated to take place this year, but those plans have changed. “We were initially aiming to conduct an operation capability demonstration in [2023],” Air Force Capt. Alicia Premo, a spokeswoman for Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), told The War Zone in an email Thursday after we requested a program update. “However, for a variety of reasons, at this time we do not have the capability demonstration scheduled. Those reasons vary from funding challenges to a recent reprioritization of capabilities.” Premo did not elaborate on the reasons she cited for the change in plans for the aircraft, dubbed the MC-130J Commando II Amphibious Capability, or MAC. We asked for clarification and will update this story when we get a response. But whatever the answer, it is yet another setback for a program that has now seen its goal line shift to the right for the second time. A flying demo was originally set to take place by the end of 2022, then-AFSOC commander Lt. Gen. James Slife said at a September 2021 media roundtable. A year later, in September 2022, Slife announced he was moving the test flight date yet again. "We're awaiting the outcome of the 23 [Fiscal Year 2023] budget process that continues to work its way through the Hill right now," Slife told reporters at the Air and Space Forces Association (AFA) Air, Space, & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland. "But our anticipation is that we will have a flying demonstration in the next calendar year." The future of the MAC is now murky. In December, Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind took over command of AFSOC from Slife, who was shepherding the MAC program but now has a new job as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, at the Air Force Headquarters in the Pentagon. It is unclear whether the change at the top of AFSOC is a death knell for MAC, a program design to add floats onto special operations-equipped MC-130Js to provide greater airlift flexibility, especially in the Pacific. In an age of increasing concern over threats from China, U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), AFSOC’s higher headquarters, has been looking for ways to move people and equipment to austere locations in or at the edge of contested areas. Being able to take off and land on the water offers a lot of advantages. The MC-130’s established ability to use short, often rugged airstrips has made it an attractive platform to consider for such capabilities. The fact that it is fully outfitted with all the gear needed for the most challenging of special operations missions is even a bigger selling point. A potential conflict with China would likely have distributed U.S. forces operating in far-flung locations that could be hard to reach with conventional air and sea lift. Marine Corps Commandant David Berger's Force Design 2030 concept is based on prepositioning troops in range of Chinese weaponry. During last year’s AFA conference, Pacific Air Forces Commander Air Force Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach talked about having supplies prepositioned across the region in anticipation of Chinese efforts to cut off supply lines. Being able to take off and land on water has the potential to help address some of those issues and concerns. Supporting small forward forces, such as those supporting F-35B or drone operations on remote islands that do not have runways is another example of how this capability could prove critical. The MAC could also help provide combat search and rescue, especially for down aircrews, over vast distances. As noted earlier, decades of evolutionary development have gone into the MC-130J along with large sums of money to integrate unique navigation, communications, and survivability enhancements onto the airframe. So, while there is clearly a tradeoff using a C-130 on floats over a flying boat, for instance, it would be very expensive and time-consuming to fit such an aircraft out with the MC-130's existing capabilities, which center on getting in and out of hostile territory alive. The C-130 also has a large spacious hold and rear ramp that can accommodate outsized loads. You can read more about the concept and its pitfalls and advantages in our previous coverage here. As of last year, AFSOC had picked a general design layout for its amphibious MC-130 variant, Slife said at the time. "We've kind of done all the modeling and simulation, and we settled on a general design layout for the way we're going to do that," said Slife of the MAC's design. "We're going through wave tank modeling to make sure that the design that we selected is stable and looks like it's going to be operationally viable for us." AFSOC has been working with the Air Force Research Lab's (AFRL) Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation (SDPE) directorate to develop the MAC “to improve the platform's support of seaborne special operations,” AFSOC said in a September 2021 media release. With today's update from AFSOC though, it is unclear whether the command still considers this concept viable and if not, what, if anything, it has in mind to replace it. There are developments ongoing that are working toward realizing major runway independent airlift capacity, like DARPA's Liberty Lifter wing-in-ground-effect aircraft, but that is a much bigger concept, both figuratively and literally. It was hoped that the MC-130 floatplane could have provided even a tactical airlift capability much sooner and in a relatively mature package. We will let you know more about the fate of MAC as soon as we can. Update 7:05 PM EST Capt. Premo got back to us with some additional information. "A final determination on how AFSOC will allocate funds for future and pathfinding capabilities has not been finalized yet," she said. "Right now, a demo is not likely to happen in [2023]." Premo said she would update us with a better timeline tomorrow. "MAC does have a future," she said.