Sept. 27, 2017 —
CGNR 2009, the first HC-130J outfitted with the Minotaur Mission System Suite directly following production, undergoes a test flight at the L3 Technologies Inc. Integrated Systems Platform Integration Division in Waco, Texas, Sept. 16, 2017. Photo courtesy of L3 Technologies.
The Coast Guard accepted CGNR 2009, the first HC-130J outfitted with the Minotaur Mission System Suite directly following production, at the L3 Technologies Inc. Integrated Systems Platform Integration Division in Waco, Texas, Sept. 26.
Minotaur is government-owned and -operated mission system architecture that integrates imagery and data from multiple aircraft sensor streams, allowing operators to track targets and transmit information to other platforms and units.
CGNR 2009 entered the Minotaur integration process in Waco in April 2016 and will now join other HC-130Js operating out of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, including the Minotaur prototype. Four HC-130Js are currently undergoing the integration process: three are undergoing retrofits from the legacy system; the fourth entered the integration process directly after production. One HC-130J currently operating from Elizabeth City will enter the process for a retrofit this fall.
All work is overseen by a Coast Guard fleet integration team onsite to ensure adherence to contractual agreements and proper maintenance techniques. “The fleet integration team is extremely proud of the partnership we have with L3 and their commitment to producing the highest quality mission systems in support of Coast Guard operations,” said Chief Warrant Officer Ken Norris, fleet integration team lead. “The hard work and dedication of this team will provide superior capabilities for the long range surveillance fleet for many years to come.”
The next aircraft is planned to complete the integration process later this fall.
For more information: HC-130J Program page and Minotaur Program page