KC-130J Super Hercules

The KC-130J is an air tanker aircraft derived from the shorter fuselage C-130J cargo aircraft. It provides in-flight refueling for both tactical aircraft and helicopters and can refuel two aircraft simultaneously. They have a 57,500 pound (8,455 US gallons) fuel offload capability while being flown on a 500 nm (900 km) radius mission. The KC-130J is also configured to accept a fuselage tank, which adds another 24,392 pounds (3,600 US gallons) of available offload to a mission. The USMC plans to purchase up to 79 KC-130J for the replacement of current KC-130F/R/T tankers. According to some sources the total number of KC-130J required by the USMC could be as high as 107 to provide in-flight refueling services to MV-22 and F-35 aircraft fleets well into the 21st century. In late April 2004, following the KC-130J operational testing program carried out between October 2003 and January 2003, the USMC officials recommended full fleet introduction of KC-130J tanker aircraft. During the testing the new tanker aircraft outperformed KC-130T while demonstrating increased capabilities over legacy KC-130s. The US Marine Corps exercised an option for a second KC-130J Weapons System Trainer (WST) on February 2, 2005, as part of a contract worth $73 million signed in 2004. The USMC retained an option on a third KC-130J WST. As of early 2005, Marines had 33 KC-130J tanker aircraft on order with 15 tankers delivered at that time. The Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana) began C-130J procurement in 1997 with an order for 18 aircraft, two more aircraft were ordered in 1999 and two more in 2000 totaling 22 C-130J Super Hercules. These aircraft replaced aging C-130Hs operated by Italy. Six of the 12 short fuselage C1-30Js were modified to KC-130J tanker aircraft adding a capability the Italian Air Force has not had previously.

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