WASHINGTON — A newly delivered mission-ready Coast Guard HC-130J Super Hercules long range surveillance aircraft enhances mission readiness by providing advanced surveillance, search and rescue, command and control capabilities, and real-time information sharing with operational forces.
Archive image: Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point aircrews conduct flight formations in the soon to be retired HC-130H Hercules airplane.
The HC-130H model has been assigned to the unit since 1959 and is being replaced by the HC-130J Super Hercules model.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Cmdr. Scott Handlin.
WASHINGTON — The Coast Guard is completing final delivery activities this week for its 18th fully missionized HC-130J long range surveillance aircraft, designated CGNR 2018, at L3Harris Integrated Mission Systems in Waco, Texas. The aircraft will support the transition of Air Station Sacramento, California, from C-27J Spartan aircraft to HC-130J Super Hercules.
Three Coast Guard air stations currently operate the HC-130J Hercules: Elizabeth City, North Carolina; Kodiak, Alaska; and Barbers Point, Hawaii. The addition of CGNR 2018 marks a step toward expanding HC-130J operations to two additional air stations, beginning with Sacramento later this year.
The Coast Guard received $1.142 billion in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) for procurement and acquisition of fixed-wing aircraft, including HC-130Js. The investment, combined with early delivery of CGNR 2018, enables the long-range surveillance fleet to expand operations.
L3Harris executes missionization of the baseline C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, integrating the Minotaur Mission System Suite, Coast Guard-specific multi-mode radar, sensors and communication systems. Additional capabilities, including enhanced approach and landing systems, expanded diagnostics and civil GPS, were integrated as part of a Block Upgrade 8.1 installation.
Including funds from OBBBA, the Coast Guard has appropriations for a total of 25 HC-130J Super Hercules aircraft, one HC-130J simulator, initial spare parts inventory and site activation for two additional air stations.
The HC-130J Super Hercules fleet serves as an on-scene command and control platform or surveillance platform, with the means to detect, classify and identify objects and share information with operational forces. The aircraft has a cruise speed of 320 knots, a range of 4,900 nautical miles and endurance of more than 20 hours.
The missionized HC-130J enables the Coast Guard to control, secure, long-range search and rescue missions and defend the U.S. border and maritime approaches, facilitate commerce and respond to crises or contingencies.
–USCG–
For more Hlcopters Magazine breaking news, stories, images and videos visit hlcopters.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
