Petty Officers 2nd Class Justin Gieringer and Darren Harrity, aviation survival technicians at Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, replenish liquid oxygen levels in an HC-130J Super Hercules aircraft Feb. 9, 2017, at the air station. The Coast Guard has accepted delivery of 10 C-130J aircraft. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Shannon J. Shepard.

Coast Guard Orders 14th C-130J Long Range Surveillance Aircraft

Sept. 15, 2017

Using funds transferred from the Coast Guard, the Air Force awarded an option Sept. 14 worth approximately $63.5 million to Lockheed Martin Corp. for production of one C-130J Super Hercules long range surveillance aircraft, the 14th of the service’s planned acquisition of 22 C-130Js.

The aircraft is scheduled to be delivered in April 2020. All work will be completed at the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics facility in Marietta, Georgia.

The Air Force is the U.S. government’s executive agent for all C-130 procurements. This award is part of a multiyear procurement contract that includes an option for the Coast Guard to acquire a 15th C-130J. Baseline aircraft purchases beyond that will be negotiated via future contract actions.

The Coast Guard has accepted delivery of 10 C-130J aircraft. Four HC-130Js are operating out of Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and are equipped with legacy mission system suite capabilities that will be upgraded to the Minotaur Mission System Suite. A fifth aircraft, the HC-130J Minotaur prototype (CGNR 2003), was delivered to the air station in June.

Production of C-130Js 11-13 is currently underway, with delivery of base configuration aircraft expected in 2018 and 2019. Those aircraft will enter the Minotaur integration process with the L3 Technologies Inc. Integrated Systems Platform Integration Division in Waco, Texas, upon delivery.