Editing Lockheed HC-130 (section)

{{short description|Search and rescue aircraft version of the C-130 Hercules}}
{{Infobox aircraft
| name = HC-130 Hercules
| image = File:US Airforce HC-130.jpg
| caption = A USAF HC-130P from the [[211th Rescue Squadron]]
| type = [[Combat search and rescue|CSAR]]/rescue aircraft
| national_origin = United States
| manufacturer = [[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed]] <br />[[Lockheed Martin]]
| designer = 
| first_flight = 1959<br />2002 (USCG HC-130J)<br />29 July 2010 (USAF HC-130J)
| introduction = 1959|retired
| Produced = 1959–present
| status = In service
| primary_user = [[United States Air Force]]
| more_users = [[United States Coast Guard]]
| unit cost = $66&nbsp;million (HC-130J){{sfn|HC-130J}}<br />$77&nbsp;million (HC-130P/N)<ref>{{cite web|title=HC-130P/N King|url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104509/hc-130pn-king/|website=U.S. Air Force|publisher=United States Air Force|access-date=29 September 2015}}</ref>
| developed_from = [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules]]
| number_built = HC-130P/N: Active force, 13; ANG, 13; Reserve, 10<br>HC-130H: 22; two with the Avionics One Upgrade (A1U)<br>HC-130J: 6
| variants = 
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
[[File:HC-130H - Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point aircraft 2015 11 1.webm|thumb|thumbtime=9|USCG HC-130H flying in [[Hawaii]], 2015.]]
[[File:ARRS Vietnam.jpg|thumb|right|A USAF HC-130P refuels an [[Sikorsky S-61R|HH-3E Jolly Green Giant]], 1968.]]
[[File:USCG International Ice Patrol C-130.jpg|thumb|right|USCG HC-130H on International Ice Patrol duties]]

The '''Lockheed HC-130''' is an extended-range, [[search and rescue]] (SAR)/[[combat search and rescue]] (CSAR) version of the [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules|C-130]] Hercules military transport aircraft, with two different versions operated by two separate services in the U.S. armed forces.

The HC-130H Hercules and HC-130J Super Hercules versions are operated by the [[United States Coast Guard]] in a SAR and maritime reconnaissance role.

The HC-130P Combat King and HC-130J Combat King II variants are operated by the [[United States Air Force]] for long-range SAR and CSAR. The USAF variants also execute on scene CSAR command and control, airdrop pararescue forces and equipment, and are also capable of providing [[aerial refueling]] to appropriately equipped USAF, US Army, USN, USMC, and NATO/Allied helicopters in flight. In this latter role, they are primarily used to extend the range and endurance of combat search and rescue [[helicopter]]s.

In July 2015, it was announced that the [[U.S. Forest Service]] will be receiving some of the U.S. Coast Guard's HC-130H aircraft to use as aerial fire retardant drop tankers as the Coast Guard replaces the HC-130H with additional HC-130J and [[C-27 Spartan|HC-27J Spartan]] aircraft, the latter being received from the [[Air National Guard]] as part of a USAF-directed divestment of the C-27.