USCG receives tenth C-130J Super Hercules
The US Coast Guard (USCG) has accepted delivery of its tenth C-130J Super Hercules long range surveillance aircraft at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' Greenville, South Carolina, facility, the USCG announced on 3 March.
The aircraft has since been delivered in its baseline configuration to the L3 Technologies Integrated Systems Platform Integration Division to undergo installation of the Minotaur mission system suite. The suite includes new radar, sensor and communications systems, after which the aircraft are re-designated as HC-130J.
Of the nine HC-130Js delivered, six are operating with the legacy mission system out of Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina. One is serving as the Minotaur mission system suite prototype and has undergone in-flight testing of the system, and a further two have entered the Minotaur mission system suite modification programme.
The 11th C-130J is under production at Lockheed Martin's Marietta, Georgia, facility, while the 12th and 13th C-130Js are under contract, with delivery of one base configuration aircraft expected in 2018 and two in 2019.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
Rolls Royce Submarines brings jobs to Glasgow for Dreadnought and AUKUS programmes
Rolls Royce opens new Scottish office but the MoD foots the bill.
-
First UK autonomous XL military submarine is put through in-water testing
The BAE Systems Herne XLAUV has hit the water.
-
US Senate approves additional $175 million for Coast Guard’s FY2025 procurement
Extra funds will enable the branch to manage vessel acquisition programmes better.
-
Australia pushes ahead on reinstating heavy landing capability with selection of Damen
Australia has been without a heavy landing capability since the retirement of the last of eight Balikpapan Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) vessels in 2014. Work on new ships is expected to begin in 2026.
-
UK and US marines train to guard nuclear deterrent submarines
The Autumn round of Tartan Eagle training just concluded in Scotland.