For over 100 years the Paris Air Show has been the world’s leading aviation & space event and this year the 49th Paris Air Show took place at Le Bourget Exhibition Centre between June 20th & 26th. Commercial aircraft tend to draw the largest segment of interest, and when it comes to the military lineup it’s usually the jet fighters that steal the show, but there are always exceptions to the rule.
This year Lockheed Martin was there showing off the C-130J Super Hercules, a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. Featuring Rolls-Royce turboprops fitted with composite scimitar propellers and advanced digital avionics, the updated version of the venerable C-130 Hercules provides a whole new level of situational awareness to the flight crew when flying combat missions.
With a history that spans more than 50 years, the C-130 family is distinguished by having the longest production run of any military aircraft, and due to the above mentioned design changes, the aircraft can achieve 40% greater range, 21% higher maximum speed, and 41% shorter takeoff distance.
While the C-130 was originally designed (back in the 1950s) as an assault transport, over the years it’s been adapted to serve a wide range of missions, including special operations, close air support and air interdiction, mid-air space capsule recovery, search and rescue, aerial refueling of helicopters, weather mapping and reconnaissance, electronic surveillance, fire fighting and natural disaster relief.
Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules Taking a Bath
And if you’ve ever wondered how they keep those planes clean, here’s a C-130J Super Hercules being run through the wash system (nicknamed the Bird Bath) at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. As they often fly extended missions over the ocean, any salt and moisture can result in corrosion if the aircraft are not washed routinely.
On the heals of celebrating the Fourth of July, we would like to honor the Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard pilots and loadmasters who utilize the C-130J in the protection of so many around the world!
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