PACAF’s first C-130J Super Hercules was delivered to Yokota

The C-130J incorporated state-of-the-art technology to reduce manpower requirements, lower operating and support costs, and provide life-cycle cost savings over earlier C-130 models

Team Yokota welcomed the first of 14 C-130J Super Hercules being assigned to the 374th Airlift Wing (AW) and Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) during an arrival ceremony on March 6, 2017.

The aircraft replaced the unit’s existing C-130H fleet, which had been in service for nearly 30 years. The transition was part of an Air Force-wide effort to modernize the entire active-duty C-130 fleet. It effectively closed a strong chapter in airlift history, as the H model had been in inactive duty service since 1974.

Maj. Gen. Mark Dillon, PACAF vice commander, along with Col. Kenneth Moss, 374th AW commander, accompanied the aircraft on the final leg of its journey from Kadena Air Base, Japan. Upon landing, the Japanese and American audiences got a firsthand look at the future of tactical airlift in the region.

“I’m very excited about us receiving the aircraft because it allows us to do a lot more around the Pacific,” said Senior Airman Alex Lauher, 374th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. “It’s a step toward the future. It enables us to better help with things like humanitarian missions by carrying more food, water, and supplies to those areas.”

The C-130J incorporates state-of-the-art technology to reduce manpower requirements, lower operating and support costs, and provide life-cycle cost savings over earlier C-130 models. Compared to older C-130s, the J model climbs faster and higher, flies farther at a higher cruise speed, and takes off and lands at a shorter distance.

Yokota’s C-130s are 15 feet longer, increasing usable space and providing the ability to rapidly transport critical supplies, personnel, and equipment around the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

Much like its H-model older brother, the C-130J is now used to support critical peacekeeping and contingency operations in the Indo-Asia Pacific region, including cargo delivery, troop transport, airdrops, and aeromedical missions. The aircraft provides significant performance improvements and added operational capabilities that translate directly into increased effectiveness. Some of these attributes include the ability to:

• Operate out of 2,000-foot-long dirt strips in high mountain ranges.
• Carry a 164,000-pound payload.
• Travel 14% faster than the H-model.
• Travel 2000 miles.
• Perform in-flight refueling, ground fueling, weather reconnaissance, electronic warfare, medical evacuation, search and rescue, paradrop, special operations, and many other missions.
• Generate much greater operational efficiencies. The C-130J outperforms older C-130s in combat operations by at least a two-to-one margin.
• Operate with only three crew members for most missions, exposing fewer flight crew members to potential combat threats.
• Demonstrate reliability that far exceeds that of most other military aircraft, with average mission capable rates routinely in the 80 to 90 percent range.

While this was only the first of the new J-model aircraft to arrive at Yokota, members of the 374th AW were excited about continuing the mission with the new capabilities.

“Today marks the beginning of the transition for the 374th Airlift Wing, from operating the C-130 from models E through H to now operating the world’s most advanced tactical airlifter, the C-130J,” Moss said. “We will continue to be the most important base in the Pacific for projecting airpower throughout the Indo-Asia Pacific Region, and the C-130J is going to be key to that piece. It is part of what we do every day.”

*Story by Staff Sgt. David Owsianka, 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs; Photo by Staff Sgt. Michael Smith and Staff Sgt. David Owsianka/U.S. Air Force*

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