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2017-12-05

‏ C-130J ‏Super Hercules ‏Continues to Reach New Heights

First flights, additional variants, new operators and expanded sustainment options are just some of the most recent milestones for Lockheed Martin’s C-130J Super Hercules airlifter.

“We’re at a fantastic point and place with the C-130J. The Super Herc is a fully established program and we know exactly how it will perform in terms of operability, versatility and maintainability,” said Tony Frese, vice president of Business Development for Air Mobility & Maritime Missions at Lockheed Martin.

The first LM-100J – the Super Herc’s commercial freighter variant – made its maiden flight in May 2017. Two weeks later, that same LM-100J made its global debut at the Paris Air Show.

“LM-100J is very well suited for firefighting at night due to the night vision capability,” Frese said. “Firefighting is indeed an area it is suited for. Obviously the typical missions you see there are medical, oil spill, search and rescue. In addition, we have several customers in oil and gas, and mining, so it is truly a multi-mission aircraft.

“Earlier certain platforms were modified to be used for firefighting but now particularly in forest services there are safety concerns when platforms are changed. This aircraft is a great fire fighter. But it is not limited to firefighting because the firefighting equipment that we install can be removed offering flexibility to be used for anything else you may want.”

FAA testing has commenced and two LM-100Js are now supporting that effort. Additionally, with FAA concurrence, the first LM-100J was deployed to Puerto Rico in October in support of Hurricane relief efforts.

The LM-100J is an updated version of the legacy L-100 Hercules freighter, which is part of many fleets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including UAE, Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Also at the Paris Air Show, Lockheed Martin introduced the C-130J-SOF production variant. This configuration is designed for international operators supporting Special Operations Missions, with the capability to be configurable to each operators’ requirements.

“The C-130J’s design is proven to be exceptional for the tactical mission, but it’s also proven to be exceptional in terms of versatility,” Frese said. “The Super Herc’s airframe is exceedingly adaptable. This adaptability allows us to seamlessly expand the C-130J’s capabilities to meet the many requirements facing our military and commercial operators.”

Lockheed Martin continues to deliver C-130Js to customers as well. The Indian Air Force recently received an additional six C-130Js. Multiple Super Hercs have been delivered to the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard through the Multiyear II contract with the U.S. Government. A total of 85 aircraft have been ordered through the Multiyear II contract, which include C130J combat delivery aircraft, KC-130J tankers, MC-130J and HC-130J Special Operations and combat rescue tankers.

The Super Hercules team is in the final stages of production on the first C-130J for France’s Armée de l’Air. France will receive two C-130Js and two KC-130Js to augment its existing C-130H fleet.

To date, the C-130J is the airlifter of choice for 17 nations, which includes a strong presence in the MENA region. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar and Tunisia are all Super Hercules operators. The aircraft is certified to support 17 different mission requirements and the global fleet has soared passed 1.6 million flight hours.

“There are many benefits to having a truly global fleet, one of the most notable being interoperability with allies around the world,” Frese said. “Interoperability offers expanded training opportunities, fosters maintenance and operational commonalities, and transforms national C-130J fleets into global assets.”

As the C-130J is the current production variant of the iconic C-130 Hercules, it is part of wide-reaching global fleet. Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 2,500 C-130s to date, with 68 countries currently operating C-130s.

Given its global presence and ongoing use, sustainment is a very important component of the worldwide C-130 fleet.

“As the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), we’re driven to provide the best and most comprehensive sustainment option for our operators,” Frese said. “One of the major reasons why C-130s are important assets is because of its reliability, which is tied directly to maintenance and sustainment operations.”

Lockheed Martin offers an integrated portfolio of sustainment options, to include its most recent offering: Aeronautics Capabilities Solutions ™.

Aeronautics Capabilities Solutions™ are post-production enhancements designed to improve the C-130’s existing operational capabilities, reduce operating costs and improve availability.

It’s certainly been a busy and dynamic year for the C-130J Super Hercules program. But, the Lockheed Martin team isn’t resting on the C-130J’s current success. Frese said he expects to see continued growth for the Super Hercules portfolio.

“Our customers not only tell us how they need the C-130J to perform for current missions, but what they need it to do for future requirements,” Frese said. “We expect that the C-130J will continue to meet and exceed these requirements and it will do so for many more decades to come.”

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