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Lockheed HC-130J Combat King II

Lockheed Martin · Fixed-Wing Combat Search and Rescue / Tanker / Combat Search and Rescue / Personnel Recovery / Aerial Refuelling · USA · Digital Age (2010–present)

Lockheed HC-130J Combat King II — Fixed-Wing Combat Search and Rescue / Tanker / Combat Search and Rescue / Personnel Recovery / Aerial Refuelling
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The Lockheed HC-130 Combat King is the American long-range search-and-rescue + combat-recovery variant of the C-130 Hercules — Lockheed Martin's principal personnel-recovery + casualty-evacuation aircraft for the US Air Force. Lockheed has produced HC-130 variants since 1965; the current HC-130J Combat King II (Lockheed Martin C-130J derivative) entered service in 2012. About 60 HC-130J Combat King IIs have been delivered; the aircraft serves USAF Air Combat Command's combat-rescue squadrons.

The HC-130J Combat King II uses the standard C-130J platform: 4 × Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprops (4,591 shp each), maximum cruise speed 670 km/h, range 5,250 km (unrefuelled) or unlimited (with aerial refueling), service ceiling 8,500 m, MTOW 74,400 kg. Combat King II additions: aerial-refueling boom + pods (the HC-130 is a tanker as well as a tankee), forward-looking infrared (FLIR), satellite communications, NVG-compatible cockpit, in-flight refueling pods to refuel rescue helicopters, paratroop-drop provision, + parachute-deliverable rescue kits. The aircraft is the principal escort-and-refuel platform for HH-60 Pave Hawk + CV-22 Osprey personnel-recovery helicopters + tiltrotors.

HC-130 service includes Vietnam War combat-rescue (1965-1972, HC-130P recovering downed pilots over North Vietnam), Operation Desert Storm 1991 search-and-rescue, Operations Iraqi + Enduring Freedom 2001-2014 (HC-130s flew thousands of rescue + casualty-evacuation missions), + the ongoing global Personnel Recovery mission. The HC-130J Combat King II is the third-generation HC-130 design — succeeding the HC-130P/N (1965-2017) + interim HC-130J (2000s). Famous missions: Operation Just Cause 1989 Panama, the 2003 USS Cole post-attack response, + the 2012 Benghazi US-consulate-attack evacuation support. The aircraft remains in production at Lockheed Martin Marietta; additional deliveries continue through 2027.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Lockheed HC-130 Combat King is an American search-and-rescue plane built from the C-130 Hercules. It first flew in 1964 and entered Air Force service in 1965. The newer HC-130J Combat King II entered service in 2012. About 60 HC-130Js have been delivered.

The HC-130J is 97 feet long with a 132-foot wingspan, longer than a Boeing 737. Four Rolls-Royce AE 2100 turboprop engines each make 4,591 horsepower. Top speed is 417 mph, faster than most race cars. The plane can refuel rescue helicopters in flight.

The HC-130 has special gear for rescue missions. Big underwing hoses can refuel HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters and CV-22 Osprey tiltrotors in flight. Forward-looking infrared cameras find lost or hurt people at night. The HC-130 can also drop rescue kits by parachute to people in trouble.

HC-130s flew rescue missions in Vietnam, picking up downed pilots from 1965 to 1972. They served in Desert Storm in 1991, Iraq, and Afghanistan since 2001. The HC-130 is a key part of American combat-rescue, working alongside HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters and pararescue jumpers.

Fun Facts

  • The HC-130 is an American search-and-rescue plane.
  • The HC-130J is 97 feet long, longer than a Boeing 737.
  • Top speed is 417 mph, faster than most race cars.
  • About 60 HC-130J Combat King IIs have been delivered since 2012.
  • The HC-130 can refuel HH-60 Pave Hawks and CV-22 Ospreys in flight.
  • HC-130s rescued downed pilots over North Vietnam from 1965 to 1972.
  • Forward-looking infrared cameras help find people at night.

Kids’ Questions

How does it refuel helicopters?

The HC-130 has long hoses that drop down under each wing. A helicopter or V-22 Osprey flies up behind the HC-130 and plugs a probe into the basket at the end of the hose. Fuel flows from the HC-130's tanks into the helicopter's tanks. The two aircraft fly together until the helicopter is full.

What is combat rescue?

Combat rescue means finding and picking up downed pilots, wounded soldiers, or other people in dangerous places. The HC-130 works with HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters and pararescue jumpers (the Air Force's special rescue troops). The HC-130 finds the person, refuels the helicopter, and provides protection during the pickup.

How is it different from a C-130?

The HC-130 is a C-130 Hercules with extra rescue gear. It has aerial-refueling pods to refuel helicopters in flight, special radios, infrared cameras, satellite communications, and a cockpit that works with night-vision goggles. The HC-130 is also painted in dark camouflage for rescue missions, not the standard tan or gray.

Variants

HC-130H Combat King (1965)
Original H-model. Retired 2017.
HC-130P Combat Shadow (1965)
Special-operations tanker. Retired 2018.
HC-130J Combat King II (2012)
Current J-model. C-130J derivative.

Notable Operators

USAF Air Combat Command (1965-present)
Personnel-recovery + combat-rescue. 60 HC-130J.
USAF Air National Guard (1990s-present)
Several states operate older HC-130P/N variants.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the HC-130 work with rescue helicopters?

The HC-130's role is to extend rescue-helicopter reach beyond normal range. Personnel-recovery scenarios usually require a helicopter to reach a downed-pilot location far behind enemy lines or in remote terrain. HC-130 Combat King IIs fly orbit at safe altitude + distance, refueling HH-60 Pave Hawks or CV-22 Ospreys in flight to extend their range. A typical mission: HC-130 + HH-60s launch from a forward base; HC-130 refuels the HH-60s en-route to + from the recovery point; the helicopters perform the actual personnel pickup; the HC-130 provides command-and-control + SATCOM relay throughout. The Combat King II + HH-60 + CV-22 trio is the principal US personnel-recovery system in Indo-Pacific + global combat operations.

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