Editing Lockheed HC-130 (section)

==Role==

===USAF HC-130P/N Combat King===
The USAF HC-130P/N, also known as the Combat King aircraft, can fly in the day against a reduced threat; however, crews normally fly night, low-level, air refueling and airdrop operations using night vision goggles. The aircraft can routinely fly low-level NVG tactical flight profiles to avoid detection.  To enhance the probability of mission success and survivability near populated areas, USAF HC-130 crews employ tactics that include incorporating no external lighting or communications and avoiding radar and weapons detection.

Secondary mission capabilities include performing tactical [[airdrop]]s of pararescue specialist teams, small bundles, [[Inflatable boat|zodiac watercraft]], or [[four-wheel drive]] [[all-terrain vehicle]]s; and providing direct assistance to a survivor in advance of the arrival of a recovery vehicle. Other capabilities are extended visual and electronic searches over land or water, tactical airborne [[radar]] approaches and unimproved [[Aerodrome|airfield]] operations. A team of three [[United States Air Force Pararescue|Pararescuemen]], trained in emergency [[Physical trauma|trauma medicine]], harsh environment survival and assisted evasion techniques, is part of the basic mission crew complement.

Up until 2016, HC-130P/N aircraft of the Combat Air Forces were a combination of mid to late-1960s vintage aircraft based on C-130E airframes and mid-1990s vintage aircraft based on C-130H3 airframes.  All underwent extensive modifications. These modifications included [[Night vision device|night vision]]-compatible interior and exterior lighting, a personnel locator system compatible with aircrew survival radios, improved digital low-power color radar and [[forward-looking infrared]] systems.  As of 2018, with the exception of a handful of extant aircraft in the [[Air National Guard]], all remaining HC-130P/N aircraft are operated by the [[Air Force Reserve Command]].

===USCG HC-130H===
[[File:USCG-HC130H-1703-040901-15.JPG|thumb|right|USCG HC-130H departs [[Mojave Spaceport|Mojave]]]]

The HC-130H first flew on 8 December 1964.<ref name="HC130Href">{{cite web|url=https://cgaviationhistory.org/1959-first-of-the-hc-130-aircraft-were-obtained/|access-date=11 April 2020|title=1959 – First of the HC-130 Aircraft were Obtained}}</ref> The Coast Guard began equipping with the HC-130H in the late sixties and early seventies,.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cgaviationhistory.org/aircraft_/lockheed-hc-130-bhj-hercules/|access-date=11 April 2020|title=Lockheed HC-130 B/H/J "Hercules"}}</ref>
U.S. Coast Guard HC-130Hs were primarily acquired for long-range overwater search missions, support airlift, maritime patrol, North Atlantic [[International Ice Patrol|Ice Patrol]] and command and control of search and rescue, replacing previously operated [[HU-16 Albatross]] amphibious and [[C-123 Provider|HC-123 Provider]] land-based aircraft.  Like their USAF counterparts, [[USCG]] HC-130s also have the capability of air dropping rescue equipment to survivors at sea or over open terrain. They carried additional equipment and two 1,800-gallon fuel bladders in the cargo compartment.<ref name="HC130Href" />

===USAF HC-130P Combat Shadow===
{{Main|MC-130P Combat Shadow}}

[[File:HC-130P-N refuels HH-60G.jpg|thumb|right|USAF HC-130P-N refueling an HH-60G Pave Hawk]]

The [[MC-130P Combat Shadow]] series of aircraft initially entered service in December 1965 during the [[Vietnam War]] as the HC-130H CROWN airborne controller. The CROWN airborne controllers located downed aircrew and directed [[Search and rescue|Combat Search and Rescue]] operations over North Vietnam. In mid-1966 flight testing began of rescue helicopters equipped with aerial refueling receivers, and 11 of the controller aircraft were modified as tankers and redesignated the HC-130P SAR Command and Control/vertical lift (helicopter) aerial refueling aircraft, entering service in Southeast Asia in November 1966. Originally assigned to the [[Tactical Air Command]] (TAC) and then the [[Military Airlift Command]] (MAC), Combat Shadows have been part of the [[Air Force Special Operations Command]] (AFSOC) since that command's establishment in 1993. In February 1996, AFSOC's 28-aircraft HC-130P tanker fleet was redesignated the '''MC-130P Combat Shadow''', aligning the variant with AFSOC's other M-series special operations mission aircraft.<ref name="fact3">{{cite web|url=http://www.af.mil/information/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=116 |title=MC-130P Combat Shadow |work=Air Force Link |publisher=United States Air Force |date=June 2009 |access-date=10 June 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717164106/http://www.af.mil/information/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=116 |archive-date=17 July 2012 |url-status=dead  }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |date=May 2008| title = Gallery of USAF Weapons|journal = Air Force Magazine, Journal of the Air Force Association}}, p. 145. USAF continues to field 33 HC-130P and HC-130N dedicated CSAR aircraft as part of [[Air Combat Command]].</ref> At the same time as this redesignation, USAF continued to field HC-130P/N aircraft as dedicated CSAR platforms under the [[Air Combat Command]] (ACC) and in ACC or PACAF-gained CSAR units in the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard.

===USCG HC-130J===
The new HC-130J aircraft are derived from the [[Lockheed Martin KC-130J]] tanker operated by the [[U.S. Marine Corps]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2010/100419ae_hc130-rollout.html |title=First Lockheed Martin/USAF HC-130J Combat Rescue Tanker Rolls Out |access-date=2 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100426071249/http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2010/100419ae_hc130-rollout.html |archive-date=26 April 2010 }}</ref> The USCG has six HC-130Js in service, but they are not capable of refueling helicopters in flight. The first delivery of this variant to the [[United States Coast Guard]] was in October 2003.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2003/LockheedMartinFormallyDeliversCoast.html |title=Lockheed Martin Formally Delivers Coast Guard HC-130J Airlifters for Maritime and Homeland Security Missions |website=www.lockheedmartin.com |access-date=6 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020211803/http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2003/LockheedMartinFormallyDeliversCoast.html |archive-date=20 October 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> They initially operated in a logistic support role until they received significant modifications, including installations of a large window on each side of the fuselage to allow crew members to visually scan the sea surface, the addition of an inverse synthetic aperture sea search radar, flare tubes, a forward-looking infrared/electro-optical sensor, a gaseous oxygen system for the crew and an enhanced communications suite. Aircraft are installed with the Minotaur Mission System and incorporates sensors; radar; and command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment and enables aircrews to gather and process surveillance information that can be transmitted to other platforms and units during flight.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Acquisitions-CG-9/Programs/Air-Programs/Minotaur-Mission-System/|access-date=11 April 2020|title=Minotaur Mission System}}</ref>

The first of these modified Coast Guard HC-130Js was delivered in March 2008<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deagel.com/news/First-Missionized-HC-130J-Maritime-Patrol-Aircraft-Delivered-to-US-Coast-Guard_n000003817.aspx|title = Ancile}}</ref> and complete delivered in September 2019.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Acquisitions-CG-9/Newsroom/Latest-Acquisition-News/Article/1961691/final-hc-130j-with-legacy-mission-system-completes-minotaur-missionization/|title=Final HC-130J with Legacy Mission System Completes Minotaur Missionization|publisher=United States Coast Guard|date=16 September 2019|access-date=18 September 2019}}</ref> The 17th HC-130J for the [[United States Coast Guard]] is expected to be delivered in 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Acquisitions-CG-9/Newsroom/Latest-Acquisition-News/Article/2060508/air-force-order-includes-one-c-130j-for-coast-guard/|access-date=11 April 2020|title=Air Force order includes one C-130J for Coast Guard}}</ref>

The Coast Guard is acquiring a fleet of 22 new, fully missionized HC-130J aircraft to replace its legacy HC-130Hs.
[[File:USCG HC-130J Taxiing.jpg|thumb|USCG HC-130J Taxiing on the runway at NAS Oceana]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Acquisitions-CG-9/Programs/Air-Programs/LRS-HC-130J/|access-date=11 April 2020|title=HC-130J Long Range Surveillance Aircraft}}</ref>
[[File:13-5785 Lockheed Martin HC-130J Combat King II Hercules C-N 382-5785 (32682682830).jpg|thumb|right|USAF HC-130J Combat King II]]

===USAF HC-130J Combat King II=== 
The USAF HC-130J Combat King II combat rescue variant has modifications for [[Aerial refueling|in-flight refueling]] of [[helicopter]]s and [[Tiltrotor|tilt-rotor aircraft]], including refueling pods on underwing pylons and additional internal fuel tanks in the cargo bay. The HC-130J Combat King II is also capable of itself being refueled in flight by [[Aerial refueling|boom-equipped tankers]] such as the [[KC-135]], [[KC-10]] and [[KC-46]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104468/hc-130j-combat-king-ii/|title = HC-130J Combat King II| work=Air Force }}</ref>

Lockheed Martin officials conducted the first flight of the USAF HC-130J version on 29 July 2010.<ref>[http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&newspaperUserId=27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog%3A27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3A0f664de1-eb50-4fd3-8bcb-7244088104cb&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest "New Pic: First HC-130J Flight"] [[Aviation Week]] by Amy Butler on 30 July 2010</ref> The first HC-130J was delivered to the USAF in September 2010,<ref name="lockheedmartin.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2010/100924ae_200th-c130j.html |title=Two Major C-130 Hercules Milestones |access-date=2 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928002550/http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2010/100924ae_200th-c130j.html |archive-date=28 September 2010 }}</ref> but underwent further testing before achieving Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in 2012.

The HC-130J personnel recovery aircraft completed developmental testing on 14 March 2011. The final test point was air-to-air refueling, and was the first ever boom refueling of a C-130 where the aircraft's refueling receiver was installed during aircraft production. This test procedure also applied to the MC-130J Combat Shadow II aircraft in production for [[Air Force Special Operations Command]].<ref>[http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2011/110322ae_hc13j_completes-devel.html "HC-130J Completes Developmental Testing"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701081922/http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2011/110322ae_hc13j_completes-devel.html |date=1 July 2012 }} Lockheed Martin Press Release, 22 March 2011</ref>

Given the advancing age of its current HC-130P/N airframes, all of which are based on either the venerable (and since retired) mid/late-1960s vintage C-130E airframe<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2017/03/07/air-forces-oldest-hc-130-plane-retires-patrick-afb/98853804/|title=Air Force's oldest HC-130 plane retires from Patrick AFB}}</ref> or the more recent mid-1990s vintage C-130H2/H3 airframe, the Air Force plans to eventually buy up to 39 HC-130J Combat King IIs to equip rescue squadrons in the active Air Force, the [[Air Force Reserve Command]] and the [[Air National Guard]].<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/10/07/333174/lockheed-starts-building-new-version-of-the-c-130j.html "Lockheed starts building new version of the C-130J"] By [[Stephen Trimble]], ''[[FlightGlobal]]'' 7 October 2009</ref> The first HC-130J was delivered to the [[563d Rescue Group]] at [[Davis-Monthan Air Force Base]], [[Arizona]] on 15 November 2012.<ref>[https://www.af.mil/News/story/id/123326792/ 563rd Rescue Group receives first combat ready HC-130J Combat King II]</ref>

The US Air Force Reserve received its first HC-130J on 2 April 2020 when it was delivered to the 920th Rescue Wing's 39th Rescue Squadron at [[Patrick Air Force Base]] in Florida.<ref name=HC-130Jref>{{cite web|url=https://www.920rqw.afrc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2134806/super-herculean-milestone/|access-date=11 April 2020|title=Super Herculean Milestone|date=2 April 2020 }}</ref>