July 2, 2019 —
The Coast Guard’s newest Minotaur Mission System Suite-missionized HC-130J, CGNR 2002, departs Waco, Texas, June 25, 2019, after completing missionization integration work at L3 Technologies Inc. Integrated Systems Platform Integration Division. The aircraft was flown to Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, where it will be stationed. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer Ken Norris.
The Coast Guard on June 25 accepted its 10th HC-130J Super Hercules long range surveillance aircraft outfitted with the Minotaur Mission System Suite. Integration was completed at L3 Technologies Inc. Integrated Systems Platform Integration Division in Waco, Texas.
CGNR 2002 – previously configured with the legacy system – was outfitted with Minotaur software as well as Coast Guard-specific integrated radar, sensors and communication systems in a process called missionization.
The Coast Guard currently has 16 HC-130J aircraft in operational use or in active production. In addition to continuing Minotaur missionization efforts on new aircraft, the service plans to complete a future block upgrade for all its HC-130J aircraft.
Coast Guard HC-130Js are the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) largest airlift asset, providing critical support to DHS partners in addition to carrying out many Coast Guard missions, including search and rescue, drug and migrant interdiction, cargo and personnel transport, and maritime stewardship. The aircraft is capable of serving as an on-scene command and control platform or as a surveillance platform with the means to detect, classify and identify objects then share that information with operational forces.
For more information: HC-130J program page and Minotaur program page