Latest Hercules Tanker Takes to the Air

Too new to come to Farnborough is the KC-130J Hercules, the U.S. Marine Corps tanker which first took to the air at Marietta, Georgia, only last Monday.

The Corps has been a long-term user of tanker Hercs, most notably for aerial refueling of its big Sikorsky Sea Stallion helicopters. With the J-model Hercules now available, it was inevitable that the Corps would be an early purchaser. Eight are on firm order against a possible requirement for 51 replacements for earlier KC-130Fs and -130Rs.

U.S. naval aviation uses the probe-and-drogue refueling system familiar in the UK-and, indeed, the KC-130J sports a pair of Flight Refuelling Mk 32B pods under the wings. Standard fuel offload capability is 8,455 U.S. gallons, which can be augmented by 3,600 U.S. gallons in a removable tank in the aircraft's hold.

By Paul Jackson