Singapore acquires 40+ year old C-130Hs to ‘modernise’ airlift fleet
February 3, 2026
Singapore has decided to upgrade its extremely old C-130Bs with medium-aged C-130Hs instead of upgrading to more modern C-130J Super Hercules or Embraer C-390 Millenniums.
Singapore is acquiring used C-130Hs to replace old C-130Bs
According to new reporting by Breaking Defense, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) intends to replace its ageing 60-year-old Lockheed C-130Bs with used Lockheed Martin C-130Hs.
The Singapore Airshow 2026 (SA2026) is back! ✈️ Held from 3 to 8 Feb at Changi Exhibition Centre, it will showcase a series of aerial manoeuvres featuring @TheRSAF's F-16C fighter aircraft and an AH-64D Apache attack helicopter. More: https://t.co/d1li6zyRXG pic.twitter.com/EQGuuoSxju
— Ministry of Defence (@mindefsg) January 31, 2026
This was disclosed during Maj. Gen. Kelvin Fan’s Q&A session with the media in the lead-up to the Singapore Airshow. Fan stated that the delivery of the second-hand C-130Hs has begun, and they have been arriving since December.
Fan said, “After thorough evaluations, we have determined that the C-130 remains the best platform to meet our operational needs for the next 15 to 20 years. The RSAF is therefore acquiring used, but still well-maintained, C-130H aircraft to replace our ageing C-130Bs.”
While Fan didn’t say how many were being purchased and who they were being purchased from, Breaking Defense suggests they are ex-Spanish Herks.
Ex-Spanish C-130 Herks for Singapore
Three Hercules arrived in Singapore by the end of January: N974BA, N973BA (a KC-130H), and N977BA (a C-130H-30). Those aircraft belonged to the Florida-based company Blue Aerospace, which has C-130Hs, a C-130H-30, and a KC-130H tanker for sale.
After landing, at least two of these registrations, N973BA and N974BA, were cancelled by the FAA aircraft registry, suggesting they have since been transferred from Blue Aerospace.
As of the time of writing, the aircraft N977BA still has its registration with the FAA, listing the owner as Blue Aerospace.
These ex-Spanish aircraft were built between 1976 and 1983 and have accumulated between 16,000 and over 19,000 flight hours. They have been upgraded over their lifetimes and have been placed in low-humidity storage.
Spain retired its fleet of C-130s in 2020 after 47 years of operation as the Airbus A400M arrived in large enough numbers to take over its missions. Some were sold to Chile and Uruguay.
Blue Aerospace advertises that its “systems support and capabilities include: The world’s largest inventory of C-130B/H rotable and structural parts and exclusive production of the SFAR88 Fuel Systems Safety Retrofit Kit.”
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Singapore’s fleet of C-130s
Singapore currently has ten legacy C-130s operating with 122 Squadron based at Paya Lebar Air Base. Breaking Defense says these include four C-130Bs and six C-130Hs. These B-models were already second-hand when Singapore acquired them.
The SAF successfully delivered the ninth tranche of humanitarian aid from 🇸🇬 and completed the second airdrop operations to Gaza alongside other foreign air forces from 12 to 25 Aug. @TheRSAF C-130 transport aircraft and the crew have safely returned from 🇯🇴.
— Ministry of Defence (@mindefsg) August 25, 2025
The Singaporean Hercules fleet was upgraded through the 2010s by Singapore’s ST Engineering. They received a new glass cockpit and improved communications, navigation, and flight monitoring systems.
Singapore uses the KC-130s as tankers with its fleet of six Airbus A330 MRTTs. According to FlightGlobal’s 2026 review, this gives Singapore the sixth-largest tanker fleet in the world, although it falls in the rankings when other aircraft with aerial refuelling capabilities (like the A400M) are accounted for.
FlightGlobal lists six KC-130B/Hs in a tanker role and another five C-130Hs in service for a total of eleven. Singapore also operates a fleet of 40 F-15Es and 60 F-16s, while having 20 F-35As on order.
Due to its small size and lack of strategic depth, most of Singapore’s military aircraft are based outside of Singapore, with most day-to-day flying taking place in the United States and Australia.
Featured Image: Singapore Air Force
