Tunisia receives its first C-130J-30 Super Hercules transport aircraft

Tunisia has received its first Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules transport aircraft. It had placed an order for 2 aircraft in 2010. Tunisia thus becomes the first country in Africa to receive this type of aircraft.

The Tunisian Air Force already operates the older versions of the Hercules, namely the C-130B and C-130H. The new aircraft will be used for multiple missions, including relief efforts, firefighting and airlift sorties.

The C-130J is the latest version of the C-130 family of turboprop transport aircraft. The C-130J-30 is in turn a stretched version of the C-130J with a longer fuselage. Its specifications are:

• a crew of 3
• a maximum payload of 44000 lbs
• a length of 34.36 m
• a wingspan of 40.41 m
• a height of 11.84 m
• an empty weight of 34274 kg
• a maximum takeoff weight of 175000 lbs
• a maximum speed of 671 km/hr
• a range of 5250 km

The C-130J is powered by 4 Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprops with Dowty R391 6-bladed composite propellers, each generating 4637 shp.

The original version of the C-130 entered service in 1957. Designed to use unprepared runways for landings and takeoffs, the C-130 has seen many variants used for different roles, including:

• troop and cargo transport
• medical evacuation
• search and rescue
• aerial refuelling
• maritime patrol
• reconnaissance
• airborne assault
• gunship

The C-130 family has now been in production for over half a century, which is a record.

Besides Tunisia, the C-130J aircraft is in service with 14 other countries. They are Australia, Canada, Denmark, India, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Norway, Oman, South Korea, Qatar, the United Kingdom and the United States.


http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2013/april/130404ae_first-c-130j-delivered-to-tunisia.html

By Adrian Pingstone [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons