The first C-130J-30 of the Royal New Zealand Air Force left the paint shop

The first of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s C-130J-30 Super Hercules to roll off the Lockheed Martin production line in Georgia (USA) has received its official livery, with the RNZAF Kiwi emblem and the 40th Squadron marine compass.

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In 2020, the New Zealand government signed a $1.5 billion deal for the procurement of five new C-130J-30 aircraft, intended to replace the aging C-130H Hercules, which were acquired in 1965. The Super Hercules will begin to be delivered to the RNZAF from the end of this year.

The new C-130J-30s can carry a greater number of pallets, thanks to their additional length of 4.5 meters and payload capacity of 21 tons. The new fleet will be used as a first response option for humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations, as well as for the deployment of personnel and equipment both in New Zealand and overseas.

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The second Hercules in the fleet is no slouch, and is ready to receive a coat of paint.

Quick entry into service

The first batch of RNZAF crews for the five C-130J aircraft are being trained at the United States Air Force (USAF) Little Rock Base in Jacksonville, Arkansas. This includes training flight instructors and aircrew instructors, whose expertise will be used to develop a C-130J training system in New Zealand following the establishment of the aircraft in the country. New Zealand technical personnel who will maintain the new fleet of transport aircraft are also being trained there.

Because all crews are being trained in advance, the fleet of new C-130J-30s should quickly reach full operational capability.

The first New Zealand-based C-130J conversion course is scheduled for 2026. It will not be needed before then because the quota for the initial six fully trained crews will already be available. Meanwhile, as part of the contract, a full-motion C-130J simulator was provided, with which 40 Squadron expects to complete about 80 percent of its pilot training.