World C-130J fleet tops 2 million flight hours

Lockheed Martin has announced that the global community of C-130J Super Hercules operators recently surpassed 2 million flight hours since the C-130J’s first flight on 5 April 1996.

CAPTION: Five No 37 Squadron C-130J Hercules fly in formation to celebrate 20 years of C-130J operations in Australia. Photo by Corporal David Said.

Twenty-two operators from 18 nations contributed to this achievement, adding hours through multiple missions including combat, transport, aerial refueling, special operations, medevac, humanitarian relief, search and rescue, weather reconnaissance, firefighting and commercial freight delivery.

Rod McLean, vice president and general manager of the Air Mobility & Maritime Missions line of business at Lockheed Martin, announced the milestone at the Hercules Operators Conference, the annual C-130 operator-industry event held in Atlanta.

“The C-130J has earned a reputation as the world’s workhorse and this most recent achievement is a powerful reminder of the Super Hercules’ unmatched global reach,” McLean said.

“Crews continue to exemplify the C-130J’s proven capability and versatility with every mission they fly.

“The Lockheed Martin team is proud of the work of the Super Herc crews who rely on the C-130J to support vital missions, both home and abroad.”

Countries with military variant C-130Js contributing to these flight hours include (in order of delivery) the United Kingdom, United States (US Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard), Australia, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Canada, India, Qatar, Iraq, Oman, Tunisia, Israel, Kuwait, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, France and Bahrain.

New Zealand recently announced it will soon join the C-130J family.

The US Air Force maintains the largest C-130J fleet, with Super Hercs flown by Air Mobility Command, Air Combat Command, Air Education and Training Command, Special Operations Command, and Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units.

In addition, Defence Contract Management Agency crews support C-130J test flights at Lockheed Martin’s Aeronautics site in Marietta, Georgia, home of C-130 production.

The C-130J Super Hercules is the current production model of the legendary C-130 Hercules aircraft.

For more information on the C-130J Super Hercules, visit lockheedmartin.com/c130

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