Lockheed KC-130
| Lockheed KC-130 | |
|---|---|
 A KC-130 of the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force for Crisis Response |
|
| Type: | Tanker aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
January 1960 |
| Commissioning: |
1962 |
The Lockheed KC-130 is the tanker version of the tactical transport aircraft C-130 Hercules . This variant is mainly used by the US Marine Corps , as, unlike other tanker aircraft, they can fly slowly enough to refuel helicopters.
description
After the C-130 had been introduced to the US armed forces in the late 1950s, initial considerations arose to use the model for other tasks in addition to the actual transport missions. There were primarily two reasons for this: on the one hand, the Hercules had proven to be an extremely flexible machine at an early stage, which is why further adaptations appeared possible, and on the other hand, it was hoped that the uniform pattern would reduce operating and maintenance costs.
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At the end of 1959, work on converting a C-130B began. For this purpose, drop-off additional tanks and two refueling probes were installed under the wings. In January 1960, the first converted KC-130B finally completed its maiden flight. After successful test flights, a total of six machines were converted into KC-130B tankers and put into service from 1962.
In the emerging Vietnam War , the KC-130 tankers proved extremely important, as it was the first time that helicopters were used in large formations. Since they could not reduce their speed enough, the KC-135 tanker aircraft were not suitable for refueling the helicopters in the air. The KC-130 took on this task. This also increased the need for more machines and finally 46 KC-130F tankers were built. In contrast to the KC-130B, the KC-130F machines were completely new and not rebuilt. The US Air Force also used the same air refueling container on HC / MC-130 variants for air refueling of helicopters.
After the Vietnam War, work began on converting the production lines to the C-130. The KC-130R was finally put into service in 1976, before the KC-130T followed in the 1980s. After the end of the Cold War, defense spending initially fell and opportunities for savings were sought. The concept of the “multi-mission tanker” was designed, which was later transferred to other models, such as the Airbus A330MMRT . The primary component of this concept is to maintain the transport capacity of the KC-130 and thus to be able to use the machines - as required - both as tanker aircraft and as tactical transporters. This was finally realized with the KC-130J, which entered service in 2004.
The experience in Iraq and Afghanistan has shown that slow aircraft that are actually inefficient, but that have enormous firepower, such as the A-10 Thunderbolt II and the AC-130 Specter , are of great military value. This is due, among other things, to the fact that, on the one hand, the Allies have unrestricted control of the air over these arenas - a basic requirement for the use of easily vulnerable aircraft such as the Specter - on the other hand, the guerrilla fighters, often entrenched in the mountains, can only be effectively fought with enormous firepower can. This insight led the USMC to wish to have gunships like the US Air Force. However, closer examination showed that the construction and maintenance of a squadron with twelve AC-130J gunships would cause the same costs as 45 KC-130J tankers. As a compromise, the Harvest Hawk program was launched, in which the machines can also be used as attack aircraft after conversion.
The KC-130 has been used in virtually every USMC military operation since the Vietnam War, most recently in Operation Odyssey Dawn over Libya , where it assisted a crashed pilot rescue operation.
variants
- KC-130B
- Initial sample for which six C-130B machines have been converted. All machines were later sold: four went to the Singapore Air Force , two to the Indonesian Air Force .
- KC-130F
- Improved KC-130B, of which a total of 46 machines have been built. These were in active service with the USMC until 2006.
- KC-130H
- 33 machines built based on the C-130H.
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- KC-130R
- Modification of the KC-130H, built 14.
- KC-130T
- Modification of the KC-130H, 28 built.
- KC-130J
- The KC-130J is the current version of the KC-130. It is based on the C-130J Super Hercules .
- KC-130J Harvest Hawk
- The USMC's KC-130J tankers currently being procured should be armed in a secondary role. The armament should be modular and so only available to the aircraft that are in use. Initially, three such kits are to be procured, by 2011 that will be nine and when the last KC-130J is put into service, twelve kits are to be available. The program is divided into four phases:
- Harvest Hawk Capability I.
- All KC-130J of the USMC are to be equipped with the cabling necessary for the use of weapons. In addition, roll-on / roll-off control consoles and AN / AAQ-30-TSS reconnaissance systems that are also interchangeable between the machines are being procured from Lockheed Martin.
- Harvest Hawk Capability II
- Capability II includes replacing the refueling pod under the left wing with an M299 missile mount for four AGM-114 Hellfire . The refueling pod under the right wing remains.
- Harvest Hawk Capability III
- A 30-mm cannon of an as yet undefined type is to be scaffolded as additional armament in the context of Capability II. The M230 Chain Gun and the M44 Bushmaster II come into question . The weapon should also be able to be used in various aircraft with the least possible effort.
- Harvest Hawk Capability IV
- Finally, other types of guided missiles should also be able to be carried. The GBU-44 Viper Strike and AGM-175 Griffin glide bombs are particularly suitable for this end equipment, called Capability IV .
- Only two kits each for Capability I and II have been ordered and tests have already taken place on a KC-130J. Capability III and IV are currently only in the planning stage.
Users
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Argentina : 2 KC-130H -
Brazil : 2 KC-130H -
Chile : 4 KC-130R -
Germany : 3 KC-130J -
France : 2 KC-130J -
Indonesia : 2 KC-130B -
Israel : 3 KC-130H (one converted from C-130H) -
Italy : 7 KC-130J (converted from C-130J) -
Japan : 6 KC-130R -
Canada : 5 CC-130H (T) (converted from C-130H) -
Kuwait : 3 KC-130J -
Libya : 7 KC-130J -
Malaysia : 4 KC-130T -
Morocco : 2 KC-130H -
Saudi Arabia : 10 KC-130H / J -
Singapore : 4 KC-130B -
Spain : 5 KC-130H -
United States : USMC : 135 KC-130F / J / R / T, USN : 7 KC-130F / J / R
Technical specifications
_conducts_aerial_refueling_with_a_Marine_Corps_KC-130_over_Oregon_during_exercise_Sentry_Eagle_2005.jpg)
| Parameter | KC-130J data |
|---|---|
| Crew: | 3 (up to 92 passengers as a tactical transporter) |
| Length: | 29.79 m |
| Span: | 40.41 m |
| Height: | 11.84 m |
| Wing area: | 162.12 m² |
| Empty weight: | 34,274 kg |
| Normal takeoff weight: | 70,305 kg |
| Maximum take-off weight: | 79,378 kg |
| Payload: | 19,090 kg or up to 96 passengers |
| Top speed: | 671 km / h |
| Marching speed: | 643 km / h |
| Service ceiling: | 8,615 m |
| Range: | 5,250 km |
Incidents
(This also includes incidents with the KC-130)
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Details of Marines' pilot rescue released ( Memento from March 26, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Harvest-Hawk-Aims-to-Arm-USMCs-KC-130J-Aerial-Tankers-05409/
- ↑ KC-130J Super Tanker ( Memento from August 20, 2011 in the Internet Archive )