C-130 Hercules sales and associated developments (not secret projects)

[GTX]

A thread for the bird that just keeps going and going...a worthy successor to the DC-3/C-47 arguably.

Note this thread is not for experimental or secret projects but rather for those sales and other developments (e.g. in service upgrades).

 

[GTX]

To kick off, the RAAF is staying in the C-130 game for a lot longer:

https://news.defence.gov.au/media/media-releases/project-air-7404-phase-1-medium-air-mobility-replacement

Defence to replace RAAF C-130Js with more C-130Js | ADBR

Defence has announced it will replace the RAAF’s 12 Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules with an expanded fleet of new-build C-130Js for its Project AIR 7404 Phase 1 medium air mobility…

adbr.com.au

 

[Foo Fighter]

When something works this well, it does make sense. Not as if the aircraft are shabby or fall down on the job, Airbus, cough.

 

[GTX]

RAAF replacing Hercules and Spartan fleets - CONTACT magazine

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www.contactairlandandsea.com

 

[TomcatViP]

France could buy ex-RAF C-130J

Those are to be put on sale soon.

 

[isayyo2]

RAAF replacing Hercules and Spartan fleets - CONTACT magazine

Share the post "RAAF replacing Hercules and Spartan fleets" FacebookLinkedInPinterestTwitterShare…Email Defence today announced it intends to replace its current fleet

www.contactairlandandsea.com

If the RAAF does ditch the C-27J, are there any Civil groups within Australia they could be sold to? Flying Doctors or aerial firefighting perhaps?

 

[isayyo2]

Short presentation on the joint Franco-German C-130J/KC-130J Squadron.

https://eda.europa.eu/docs/default-source/events/mac2018/1-2_c130j-introduction-of-a-new-aircraft-in-a-multinational-emar-env---fr-de-maa.pdf

 

[Pioneer]

RAAF replacing Hercules and Spartan fleets - CONTACT magazine

Share the post "RAAF replacing Hercules and Spartan fleets" FacebookLinkedInPinterestTwitterShare…Email Defence today announced it intends to replace its current fleet

www.contactairlandandsea.com

And yet, I also found this which states they're going to spend $70 million on upgrading the C-27J's....

C-27J Spartan Fleet Set to Receive Avionics Upgrade

31 Oktober 2022 RAAF C-27J Spartan (photo : RAAF) The Australian Government has signed a Commonwealth Avionics Upgrade Acquisition Contract ...

defense-studies.blogspot.com

Regards
Pioneer

 

[isayyo2]

NP2000 goes abroad on Chile's C-130 fleet

https://www.collinsaerospace.com/news/news/2022/10/collins-aerospace-announces-new-orders-for-c-130-np2000-propeller-system

Chilean KC-130R fitted with new NP2000 props

In an effort to improve the efficiency of its Hercules fleet, the Chilean Air Force has begun retrofitting the aircraft with new Collins Aerospace eight-blade NP2000 composite propellers

www.key.aero

 

[GTX]

RAAF replacing Hercules and Spartan fleets - CONTACT magazine

Share the post "RAAF replacing Hercules and Spartan fleets" FacebookLinkedInPinterestTwitterShare…Email Defence today announced it intends to replace its current fleet

www.contactairlandandsea.com

If the RAAF does ditch the C-27J, are there any Civil groups within Australia they could be sold to? Flying Doctors or aerial firefighting perhaps?

Probably wouldn’t want to given their are supportability issues.

 

[GTX]

RAAF replacing Hercules and Spartan fleets - CONTACT magazine

Share the post "RAAF replacing Hercules and Spartan fleets" FacebookLinkedInPinterestTwitterShare…Email Defence today announced it intends to replace its current fleet

www.contactairlandandsea.com

And yet, I also found this which states they're going to spend $70 million on upgrading the C-27J's....

C-27J Spartan Fleet Set to Receive Avionics Upgrade

31 Oktober 2022 RAAF C-27J Spartan (photo : RAAF) The Australian Government has signed a Commonwealth Avionics Upgrade Acquisition Contract ...

defense-studies.blogspot.com

Regards
Pioneer

Left hand not talking to right hand…

 

[GTX]

Defence says ‘lessons learnt’ as it commits to Hercules

In what could be interpreted as a swipe at problems with the Spartan, the department said lessons had been learned from previous major acquisitions.

australianaviation.com.au

 

[GTX]

https://breakingdefense.com/2022/11/australia-stays-with-c-130-but-size-timing-of-buy-uncertain/

 

[TomS]

RAAF replacing Hercules and Spartan fleets - CONTACT magazine

Share the post "RAAF replacing Hercules and Spartan fleets" FacebookLinkedInPinterestTwitterShare…Email Defence today announced it intends to replace its current fleet

www.contactairlandandsea.com

And yet, I also found this which states they're going to spend $70 million on upgrading the C-27J's....

C-27J Spartan Fleet Set to Receive Avionics Upgrade

31 Oktober 2022 RAAF C-27J Spartan (photo : RAAF) The Australian Government has signed a Commonwealth Avionics Upgrade Acquisition Contract ...

defense-studies.blogspot.com

Regards
Pioneer

Different timelines, though. Crypto upgrades for the C-27 now through 2026. The first new C-130 deliveries not until at least 2030, meaning some C-27s could be around well beyond that.

 

[isayyo2]

24 Herks approved by Washington

WASHINGTON, November 2, 2022 - The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Australia of C-130J-30 aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $6.35 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

Australia – C-130J-30 Aircraft | Defense Security Cooperation Agency

www.dsca.mil

 

[GTX]

Little known (maybe) fun fact: The RAAF has been operating C-130s (A/E/H/J models) for approx 64yrs without a single loss.

 

[Grey Havoc]

SAAF evaluating offer of acquiring ex-US C-130H Hercules - defenceWeb

The United States has offered South Africa retired C-130H Hercules transport aircraft to replace its ageing C-130BZ fleet, with the South African Air Force (SAAF) presently considering the offer. Africa Intelligence reported that the United States is offering a dozen 1980s-era C-130H transports...

www.defenceweb.co.za

 

[GTX]

More on the RAAF’s new Medium Airlift Aircraft - Australian Defence Magazine

On 1 November, ADM reported Defence’s announcement of more Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules for the RAAF. While the release did not go into very much detail, recent documents have since shed a littl...

www.australiandefence.com.au

 

[GTX]

Luftwaffe C-130Js to have special operations capabilities

Germany is to equip its Lockheed Martin C-130J transport aircraft for the special operations forces (SOF) role, it was revealed in late November.

www.janes.com

 

[aonestudio]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1767913505926136201

View: https://twitter.com/LockheedMartin/status/1767913505926136201

 

[isayyo2]

The improved performance of NP2000 props on Naval Reserve C-130Ts are restoring their "KC-130T" aerial refueling capabilities for the latest generation of tactical aircraft.

NAWCAD Expands KC-130T Hercules’ Refueling Envelope with EA-18G Growler and CH-53K King Stallion

Following the adoption of the eight-bladed NP2000 propeller, the U.S. Navy launched an effort to regain the air refueling capability across its fleet and

theaviationist.com

The U.S. Navy’s upgraded legacy KC-130T, which sports new eight-bladed NP-2000 propellers, is being put through testing to expand its aerial refueling envelope and is being certified to serve other aircraft in the Navy’s fleet. In fact, so far only the V-22 Osprey was cleared to be refueled by the upgraded C/KC-130T as it added aerial refueling to its mission sets.

Following the adoption of the eight-bladed NP2000 propeller, the U.S. Navy launched an effort to regain the air refueling capability across its fleet and allow the C/KC-130T to refuel a growing number of platforms.

The upgrade effort was spurred after the Air Force and Navy C/KC-130s fleet began to adopt the more efficient eight-bladed NP2000 propeller developed by Collins Aerospace. Collins says that the NP2000’s composite blades and digital Electronic Propeller Control System (EPCS) offer a number of benefits compared to legacy systems, including a 20% thrust increase during take-off, a 20 db sound reduction in the cockpit, and a 50% reduction in maintenance man-hours. The system is also compatible with and already flies on many E-2 Hawkeyes and C-2 Greyhounds, along with the sub-variants of the KC-130 and C-130.