Overview C130J
The new C-130J Hercules II incorporates state-of-the-art technology to reduce manpower requirements by 38 percent, lower operating and support costs by 35 percent, and provide life cycle cost savings of 15 percent over earlier C-130 models. The C-130J also climbs faster and higher — 14 minutes to 28,000 feet (8,534m); flies farther at a higher cruise speed — 2,430 nm (4,500km) at 450 mph (724km/h); and can takeoff and land in a shorter distance — 1,950 feet (594m).
Features
Major improvements include: new turboprop engines with six-bladed, all composite propellers, digital autopilot, fully-integrated digital avionics, color multifunctional LCD and head-up displays, dual INS/GPS navigation systems, mission planning system, low power color radar, and digital moving map display.
Cockpit - The C-130J is crewed by two pilots and a loadmaster. The new glass cockpit features four multifunction liquid crystal displays for flight control and navigation systems. Each pilot has a Flight Dynamics head up display (HUD). The dual mission computers operate and monitor the aircraft systems and advise the crew of status.
The cockpit is fitted with the Northrop Grumman low power color radar display. The map display shows digitally stored map image data. The C-130J is equipped with a Honeywell dual embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS), an enhanced traffic alerting and collision avoidance system (E-TCAS), a ground collision avoidance system, SKE2000 station keeping system and an Instrument Landing System (ILS).
The C-130J's integrated digital technology provides the capability to airdrop in instrument conditions without zone markers, as a baseline feature of the aircraft. When the high resolution ground mapping capability of the APN-241 Low Power Color Radar is coupled with the dual INS/GPS and digital mapping systems, the C-130J provides single-ship or formation all-weather aerial delivery. This means the entire J-model fleet will be all-weather airdrop capable.
Radar - The Northrop Grumman MODAR 4000 color weather and navigation radar is installed in the upward hinged dielectric radome in the nose of the aircraft. The weather radar has a range of 250 nautical miles (463km).
Cargo Compartment - The cargo bay of the C-130J has a total usable volume of over 4,500 cubic feet (127.4 cubic meters) and can accommodate loads up to 37,216 pounds (16,881kg), for example three armored personnel carriers, five 463L-type pallets (plus a ramp pallet for baggage), 74 litters (stretchers), 92 fully-equipped troops or 64 paratroops. The bay is equipped with cargo handling rollers, tie-down rings, stowage containers and stowage for troop seats.
Countermeasures - The Lockheed Martin/Alliant Defense AN/AAR-47 missile warning system uses electro-optic sensors to detect missile exhaust and advanced signal processing algorithms and spectral selection to analyze and prioritize threats. Sensors are mounted near the nose just below the second cockpit window and in the tail cone.
The Lockheed Martin AN/ALR-56M radar warning receiver is a superheterodyne receiver operating in the 2 to 20 GHz bands. A low band antenna and four high band quadrant antennae are installed near the nose section below the second window of the cockpit and in the tail cone.
The Tracor AN/ALE-47 countermeasures system is capable of dispensing chaff and infrared flares in addition to the POET and GEN-X active expendable decoys. The Lockheed Martin AN/ALQ-157 infrared countermeasures system generates a varying frequency-agile infrared jamming signal. The infrared transmitter is surface mounted at the aft end of the main undercarriage bay fairing.
Engines - The C-130J is equipped with four Allison AE2100D3 turboprop engines each rated at 4,591 shaft horsepower (3,425 kW). The all-composite six-blade R391 propeller system was developed by Dowty Aerospace. The engines are equipped with full authority digital electronic control (FADEC) by Lucas Aerospace. An automatic thrust control system (ATCS) optimizes the balance of power on the engines allowing lower values of minimum control speeds and superior short-airfield performance.
Fuel Capacity - The aircraft can carry a maximum internal fuel load of 45,900 pounds (20,820kg). An additional 18,700 pounds (8,482kg) of fuel can be carried in external underwing fuel tanks. The refueling probe installed on the center of the fuselage has been relocated on the C-130J to the port side, over the cockpit.
C-130Js will be delivered as weather reconnaissance (WC), electronic combat (EC), and tanker (KC) configured aircraft.
C-130J-30
The standard C-130J has essentially the same dimensions as the C-130E/H but the J-30 (stretched version) is 15 feet (4.6m) longer. The J-30 incorporates two extension plugs, one forward and one aft. The forward plug is 100 inches (254cm) long while the rear plug is 80 inches (203cm) for a total of 15 feet (4.6m). With its 3,000 nautical mile (5,556km) range, increased speed, and air refueling capability, it complements the C-5/C-17 airlift team. The J-30 can work in the strategic, as well as tactical or intratheater, environment. The J-30 can be an effective force multiplier in executing the U.S. Army Strategic Brigade Airdrop (SBA). The J-30 can airdrop 100% of the SBA requirement. No longer is it necessary to expend scarce heavy lift resources on strategic contingency requirements. Whether it's a channel, special airlift, training, or contingency airdrop mission, the J-30 can handle it all at a significantly reduced cost.
The stretched C-130J-30 can carry seven 463L-type pallets (plus a ramp pallet for baggage), 97 litters, 16 CDS (Container Delivery System) bundles, 128 fully-equipped troops or 92 paratroopers.
The C-130J-30 AEW&C is based on the stretched variant of the Lockheed C-130J Hercules II, which features new engines and digital flight station for two pilots. The C-130J-30 AEW&C is fitted with the AN/APS-145 on pylons above the rear fuselage of the aircraft. A tactical command center and crew rest module is fitted into the cargo compartment to contain seven operator consoles and the Northrop Grumman (ESID) Group II+ mission system derived from the E-2C Hawkeye. Lockheed Martin have teamed with Northrop Grumman (ESID) and Transfield Defence Systems of Australia for the C-130J AEW&C.
Records
A Lockheed Martin flight crew, flying a production-standard, unmodified C-130J Hercules transport, claimed 50 world aeronautical records in two distinct aircraft categories. The records were set in four flights on two days, and broke 16 existing world marks and established standards in 34 other categories where there had been no previous sanctioned attempt.