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The Royal Australian Air Force’s 37 Squadron has seen its C-130J Hercules fleet surpass 170,000 flying hours.
From tactical airlift missions across Australia to critical operations abroad, the RAAF said the Hercules has been the backbone of the squadron’s ability to deliver personnel, equipment, and support wherever it’s needed.
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Flight Lieutenant David Campbell, who piloted the aircraft on its 170,000th hour, emphasised the significance of the milestone.
“It was great to see that the milestone ticked over during a sortie very typical of C-130J operations – a resupply mission to Port Moresby in support of [Exercise] Olgeta Warrior,” he said.
“It was a good opportunity to reflect on not just the flying hour milestone, but the immense contribution behind the scenes by our maintenance, logistics and operations personnel to keep the aircraft flying all these years, which would be many multiples of the flying hour total.”
Since its introduction in 1999, the C-130J Hercules has transformed Australia’s aerial defence by increasing airlift capacity, bringing extended range, increased payload, and advanced avionics to the RAAF.
Hercules has been used across the Middle East in Operation Slipper, Bastille, Falconer, Catalyst, Highroad, Okra, and Accordion, has been apart of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief for the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Queensland floods, Cyclone Yasi, 2019–20 bushfires, 2022 Tongan volcanic eruption, and has continued support for multi-national exercises, including Pitch Black, Talisman Sabre, Indo-Pacific Endeavour, Cope North.
“These significant milestones create an opportunity to stop and reflect on what the C-130 capability has safely delivered both domestically and globally over decades, and what it needs to be prepared for in the future,” said Wing Commander Dianne Bell.
The Hercules fleet is expected to remain in service into the 2030s, before being succeeded by a new generation of C-130 aircraft under Project AIR 7404.
