First C-130J Super Hercules arrives at Ohio Youngstown Air Reserve Station
Lockheed Martin has delivered the first of eight C-130J-30 Super Hercules tactical airlifters assigned to the Ohio Youngstown Air Reserve Station, which also marks the addition of a new mission capability for the aircraft: the aerial spray capability.
The 910th Airlift Wing maintains the US Department of Defense’s only “large-area, fixed-wing aerial spray capability to eliminate disease-carrying insects and pest insects and to disperse oil spills in large bodies of water,” explains Lockheed Martin. This specific use is one of 19 unique mission capabilities now supported by the C-130J Super Hercules, with the global fleet spanning 26 operators in 22 nations.
The 910th Airlift Wing received its first C-130 in 1981 and has since operated different variants for more than 40 years. “The C-130J Super Hercules stands as a symbol of our Air Force’s enduring strength and versatility, ensuring we continue to meet our nation’s needs with excellence,” said Maj. Gen. Melissa Coburn, 22nd Air Force commander.
The new aircraft will replace the C-130H variant, which has served with the 910th Airlift Wing in the tactical airlift and aerial spray mission for decades. “This new fleet of C-130Js will preserve the unit’s tactical airlift and aerial spray mission, while providing more space, speed, range, and versatility for decades to come,” explains Lockheed Martin.
