Representatives from France’s Armée de l’Air received the second of two C-130J Super Hercules aerial refuelers from Lockheed Martin earlier this month as part of a foreign military sale with the U.S. government. The sale has included a total of four Super Hercules aircraft: two C-130J-30 combat delivery airlifters and this second of two KC-130J aerial refuelers. The refueler was transferred to the French representatives at Lockheed Martin’s aeronautics facility in Marietta, Ga. The C-130J-30 Super Hercules airlifters were delivered in 2017 and 2018 while the first of the refuelers was delivered in late 2019. The tactical aircraft are operated with an existing French C-130H Super Hercules fleet.
In specifying the versatile aircraft, France is the 17th country to use variants of the C-130J Super Hercules for its airlift and refueling requirements. “France’s C-130 crews have long demonstrated the unmatched and proven performance of the Hercules aircraft in support of critical missions,” notes Rod McLean, vice president and general manager for Lockheed Martin’s Air Mobility & Maritime Missions. “This additional C-130J expands the Armée de l’Air’s already robust airlift and refueling resources to not only serve as a national asset, but a global resource as well.”
The battle-tested aircraft (with a worldwide fleet of more than 400 aircraft that has logged more —than 2 million flight hours) can refuel both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft and perform efficient ground refueling functions. It is well equipped with RF/microwave tactical systems and features many automated systems, including a traffic collision and avoidance system (TCAS), a ground collision avoidance system (GCAS) and a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS). In addition, the aircraft is powered by an inertial navigation system (INS) and has dual GPS systems. All C-130J Super Hercules variants are designed for night operations—for example, using infrared (IR) landing lights to illuminate the landing zones.