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Opinion: Air Marshal (Ret’d) Warren McDonald AO, CSC, chief executive of Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand, discusses the government’s plans to replace and expand the C-130J Super Hercules fleet.
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For more than 60 years, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the Australian public have been exceedingly well-served by the C-130 Hercules. The RAAF was the first international operator of the C-130 and it has been used by Australia in a wide variety of operational theatres since the 1960s, including the Vietnam War, East Timor and Afghanistan. The current C-130J Super Hercules fleet has the distinction of being the longest continuously deployed aircraft type in the RAAF’s 100-year-history, serving more than 10 years in the Middle East. In the coming decade, the C-130 will log its millionth flying hour in RAAF service.
The C-130J is a critical piece of Australia’s national security infrastructure, providing disaster relief capabilities such as airdrop and the ability to access unprepared strips. The C-130J has been on hand whenever natural disasters have struck Australia or our regional neighbours and have been used in Cyclone Tracy, the Asian tsunami, flood relief and in more recent times, the Tongan volcanic eruption. Defence also uses the aircraft as an element of Australia’s military diplomacy and soft power engagement, such as in support of Pacific nations.
As a former commander of the RAAF’s Air Mobility Group, I subscribe to the adage that “you can never have too much airlift” and that additional airlift will be needed to support the growth, in both personnel and capability, of the Australian Defence Force. Timeliness in response is another important factor, as over the years, we have seen the increased requirement for immediacy in response to security events and natural disasters. An expansion of the C-130J fleet would enable the RAAF to provide further capacity to options presented to government in support of our nation, neighbours and allies.
Globally, there are now more than 500 C-130Js in service, with over 2.5 million cumulative operational hours flown. This makes the C-130J the world’s most proven military airlifter. Given the long history of the C-130 in Australia, most are familiar with its capabilities — air logistics, personnel transportation, equipment insertion into austere and hostile environments, airdrop to battlefields and natural disaster zones, aeromedical evacuation and search and rescue.
Perhaps less well-known are the capabilities provided by a role-customised C-130J in special operations, including tactical insertion of special forces; air-to-air refuelling which is particularly effective in extending the range of rotary wing aircraft; intelligence gathering; and the delivery of precision long-range weapons, which augment the capability effects delivered by frontline air combat and maritime platforms. Precision strike capabilities will soon be augmented by “Rapid Dragon”, an air-delivered, palletised guided weapons system that significantly increases an air force’s strike capacity and deterrence.
In addition to being the backbone of the RAAF’s air mobility capability, the C-130J plays a vital role in developing the RAAF’s military aircrew skills and mastery. The C-130J is the engine room for generating airlift specialist pilots and loadmasters for the RAAF. The potential recapitalisation of the RAAF fleet could include a new suite of high-fidelity synthetic training devices, including flight simulators and computer-based training and importantly full-scale maintenance training aids developed by Lockheed Martin and our partners. Drawing upon training devices and services that we provide to international operators, Lockheed Martin would ensure the RAAF has a world-class training environment to support an expanded fleet.
For more than 60 years, the RAAF and industry in Western Sydney have provided heavy maintenance support to Lockheed Martin aircraft, including four generations of C-130s. Over its time, this industry has employed thousands of Australians in long-term, high-skilled technical and logistics roles. Lockheed Martin has also sourced C-130 airframe components from Western Sydney since the 1990s — every C-130J assembled by Lockheed Martin includes Australian manufactured components.
Should government choose to proceed with the replacement and expansion of the C-130J Super Hercules fleet, it would represent an exciting development for the RAAF and Australian industry. Lockheed Martin and our industry partners welcome the opportunity to extend our long-term relationship in supporting RAAF air mobility capability wherever and whenever needed by Australia and our allies — close to home and around the world.
