How much does a KC-130J cost?

The USMC plans to acquire three kits per active-duty KC-130J squadron for a total of nine kits, each costing up to US$22 million.

What is a Harvest Hawk?

Meet the Harvest Hawk: A Refueling Plane Turned Into a Marine War Machine. Dropping bombs out of cargo planes has been a common measure of desperation for under-equipped air forces and opportunistic mercenaries throughout the history of aviation.

Do Marines have c130?

The Marines have now completed the transition to the advanced KC-130J model. Modernization of the U.S. Marine Corps aerial refueler and transport fleet has reached a milestone with the retirement of the service’s last ‘legacy’ Hercules, a KC-130T.

Are C-130 still being built?

The C-130 Hercules is the longest continuously produced military aircraft at over 60 years, with the updated Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules currently being produced.

How much fuel can a KC 130 carry?

The KC-130J offers a 57,500-pound fuel offload capacity using wing and external tanks while in the air. The KC-130 is equipped with a removable 3,600-gallon aluminum fuel tank that is carried inside the cargo compartment providing additional fuel when required.

How do helicopters refuel in flight?

The Air Force uses flying booms, whereby the receiving planes fly in formation to the tanker. The Navy, Marines and the Army use probe-and-drogue, whereby a flexible hose is used with a drogue or a basket on the end. This system works effectively in refueling helicopters and fighter planes.

Can a c130 land an aircraft carrier?

From the accumulated test data, the Navy concluded that with the C-130 Hercules, it would be possible to lift 25,000 pounds of cargo 2,500 miles and land it on a carrier. Even so, the idea was considered a bit too risky for the C-130 and the Navy elected to use a smaller COD aircraft.

Can a C-130 carry an Abrams?

Hustling Cargo This adds up to 34,734 cubic feet of cargo space, or what C-5 maintainers call a “warehouse with wings.” The cargo plane has outlasted the M60 main battle tank and can theoretically carry two M1A2 Abrams tanks, though just one Abrams is 50 percent heavier than the C-5’s maximum cargo weight.

Can a civilian buy a C-130?

The Super Hercules is finally available to the public. Like the legendary “legacy” C-130 Hercules series of ridiculously versatile military cargo haulers that was offered in civilian form under the L-100 designation, the C-130J Super Hercules now has a civilian variant of its own—the LM-100J.

Where is the KC-130J Harvest Hawk being used?

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan — One of the U.S. military’s most seasoned aircraft has found a new purpose as a one-of-a-kind weapon for the Marine Corps in support of troops on the ground in Afghanistan.

Who is the manufacturer of the Harvest HAWK?

On 14 May 2012, the Department of Defense announced that Lockheed Martin Corporation of Marietta, Georgia was being awarded an $18,433,384 firm-fixed-price contract for the manufacture and testing of three Harvest Hercules Airborne Weapons Kits (HAWK) for installation onboard Marine Corps KC-130J aircraft.

Where is the Harvest HAWK airborne weapons kit?

The Harvest HAWK (Hercules Airborne Weapons Kit) is a modular weapons/sensor kit designed for the KC-130J aircraft, consisting of a fire-control console located in the aircraft’s cargo compartment

When did the USMC start using Harvest HAWK?

The Harvest Hawk weapons system for USMC KC-130J aircraft began its first deployment during October 2010 in Afghanistan with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 ( VMGR-352 ).