New C-130j Fleet Under Consideration, Up to 30 C-130J/KC-130J's possible

[Brendan Cowan]

Project AIR 7404 is looking to replace the current C-130J & C-27J fleet with up to 30 new C-130J's including 6-8 KC-130J aircraft.

https://asiapacificdefencereporter.com/adf-...hercules-fleet/

Thanks to Andrew McLaughlin

[Brenden S]

Glad to see that they are thinking about expanding the fleet.

[Warhawk]

Mind you, this seems to be a re-run of Mid 90's yesteryear RAAF Air requirement per the number "up to 32-36" C-130Js to replace the 24 x C-130E/Hs with an additional sprinkle for the RNZAF. Same content except substitute 80's Hornet and 60's Caribou for Super and C-27J.

That ended up with just 12 stretched C-130J-30s and an initial sprinkle of 2-4 C-17s six years after,..mainly thanks to the War on Terrorism, with incremental buys up to 8 C-17s in total, And Yet, given the opportunity, missing out a pair or a quartet of the 10 remaining available white tail C-17As.

Five to Ten years ago, another 4 C-130Js were muted for the same reason,..but that faded out after #7 and #8 C-17s came in.

Given the Social Promises and past actions of the current Government,..its doubtful it would be more than 12 at worst, or maybe just over 16-18 C13J-30s at best, which the latter would exceed the current combine Pax/load carrying in any case.

Mind you as a thought, has the USAF started any projects to replace the C-17A yet? Better to pencil in those numbers from the 2035's.

Lets get past the current issue first,...DON"T BUY ANYTHING FROM EUROPE!!!

[batman]

Yes mate, a good summary - a few of us do remember that C-130J 'bulk order" of the 1990s.

Agree with your conclusion. :rolleyes:

[Warhawk]

Yeap JB.

Mind you we had a "small" opportunity to gather some 4-5 ex RAF Short fuselage C-130Js (Mk5s) in the intervening time......Most ended up in Bangladesh and (Sri Lanka???) and one I think with the US Navy Blue Angels after refurbishment.

Interesting, some of the remaining RAF C-130J-30s are going through a new wing box replacement (Previously were being retired in favour of re-roled Airbus Atlas C1), or just being parked, thus very worn out in fatigue hours,..which given our use in the same environment, no doubt ours would be not far behind of that need, hence the "hurry-on".

Meanwhile the Kiwi's are just getting rid of their 5 x 1965 C-130Hs (extended life with Wing Box replacements in Australia in the 90's?) for C-130J-30s.........Seems they just skipped a buy in between unlike Australia. (our 12 C-130Es built after their 5 C-130Hs)...and saved heaps of intended wasted money. LOL......Maybe we just wait till "Son of C-17A" Globemaster IV comes on the market. : I say,...why send a Mercedes 4WD in a C-27J, when you can send a M1A2 or two Boxers in a C-17A???

Makes you wonder who is in the driver's seat of procurement sometimes over the last 20 years, let alone the C-17J issue here!!! Let's not get into Helicopters!!!

Well after that rant,.we's off!





:blink:

[Brendan Cowan]

Hi folks,

This will be an interesting one to watch.

I suspect that the likelihood of all 30 airframe being procured is remote (particularly the refuelers).

We live in times where the need is real but the economic conditions are unhelpful.

I suspect that we will all return to this topic thread as the facts unfold!

Cheers

BC

[Shep]

24 C-130J-30 plus bits and pieces.

www.dsca.mil/sites/default/files/mas/Press%20Release%20-%20Australia%2022-62%20CN.pdf

[Brendan Cowan]

Yes - not much detail in the info so far about whether this 24 will mean that we keep the C-27J fleet or not.

More to come when the Force Structure Review is released I suspect!

Here is the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency News Release on the topic.

Attached File ( Number of downloads: 214 )
 Press_Release___Australia_22_62_CN.pdf