What is C-130J Super Hercules?

05-08-2024

06:30 PM

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What is C-130J Super Hercules? Blog Image

Overview:

A Bangladesh-registered C-130J Hercules jet became the most tracked flight on Flightradar24.com amid reports of Bangaldesh PM Sheikh Hasina quitting and leaving her country.

About C-130J Super Hercules:

  • It is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft.
  • It is the US Air Force’s principal tactical cargo and personnel transport aircraft.
  • It was developed by Lockheed Martin, a US security and aerospace company.
  • The C-130J is the newest generation of the C-130 Hercules, which primarily performs the tactical portion of the airlift mission. 
  • The aircraft is capable of operating from rough, dirt strips and is the prime transport for airdropping troops and equipment into hostile areas
  • The largest operators are the US Air Force, US Marine Corps, Australia, Canada, India,Italy, and the United Kingdom.
  • Features:
    • It has reduced crew requirements. A minimal crew of three men is required to operate this aircraft, including two pilots and one loadmaster.
    • It has a payload capacity of 19 tons.
    • It is powered by four Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop engines.
    • It has digital avionics, including Head-Up Display (HUD) for each pilot. 
    • Range: 6,852 km (no payload)
    • Speed: 644 km/hr
    • Endurance: 20+ hours
    • It is capable of short takeoffs and landings from unprepared runways.

Q1: What is a turboprop aircraft?

A turboprop aircraft uses a turbo-prop engine rather than a piston-powered engine or a jet engine. They have one or more gas-turbine engines connected to a gearbox that turns the propeller(s) to move the aircraft on the ground and through the air. Turboprop aircraft have lower operating costs than jets because they burn less fuel, but they are also slower than jets.

Source: All about flight AJAX1431 that flew Sheikh Hasina to India after escape from Dhaka