page_title: Lockheed C-130 Hercules
section_title: Variants
hierarchical_section_title: Lockheed C-130 Hercules / Variants
caption_attribution_description: English: A U.S. military C-130 aircraft retrieving a film capsule under parachute. Credit: National Reconnaissance Office
context_page_description: The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medevac, and cargo transport aircraft. The versatile airframe has found uses in a variety of other roles, including as a gunship, for airborne assault, search and rescue, scientific research support, weather reconnaissance, aerial refueling, maritime patrol, and aerial firefighting. It is now the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. More than 40 variants of the Hercules, including civilian versions marketed as the Lockheed L-100, operate in more than 60 nations.
  The C-130 entered service with the U.S. in 1956, followed by Australia and many other nations. During its years of service, the Hercules family has participated in numerous military, civilian and humanitarian aid operations. In 2007, the C-130 became the fifth aircraft to mark 50 years of continuous service with its original primary customer, which for the C-130 is the United States Air Force.
context_section_description: Significant military variants of the C-130 include:
  C-130A/B/E/F/G/H/K/T
  Tactical airlifter basic models
  C-130A-II Dreamboat
  Early version Electronic Intelligence/Signals Intelligence (ELINT/SIGINT) aircraft
  C-130J Super Hercules
  Tactical airlifter, with new engines, avionics, and updated systems
  C-130B BLC
  A one-off conversion of C-130B 58-0712, modified with a double Allison YT56 gas generator pod under each outer wing, to provide bleed air for all the control surfaces and flaps.
  C-130K
  Designation for RAF Hercules C1/W2/C3 aircraft (C-130Js in RAF service are the Hercules C.4 and Hercules C.5)
  AC-130A/E/H/J/U/W
  Gunship variants
  C-130D/D-6
  Ski-equipped version for snow and ice operations United States Air Force / Air National Guard
  CC-130E/H/J Hercules
  Designation for Canadian Armed Forces / Royal Canadian Air Force Hercules aircraft. U.S. Air Force used the CC-130J designation to differentiate the standard C-130J variant from the "stretched" C-130J (company designation C-130J-30).
  C-130M
  Designation used by the Brazilian Air Force for locally modified / up-graded C-130H aircraft
  DC-130A/E/H
  USAF and USN Drone control
  EC-130
  EC-130E/J Commando Solo – USAF / Air National Guard psychological operations version
  EC-130E Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC) – USAF procedural air-to-ground attack control, also provided NRT threat updates
  EC-130E Rivet Rider – Airborne psychological warfare aircraft
  EC-130H Compass Call – Electronic warfare and electronic attack.
  EC-130V – Airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) variant used by USCG for counter-narcotics missions
  GC-130
  Permanently grounded instructional airframes
  HC-130
  HC-130B/E/H – Early model combat search and rescue
  HC-130P/N Combat King – USAF aerial refueling tanker and combat search and rescue
  HC-130J Combat King II – Next generation combat search and rescue tanker
  HC-130H/J – USCG long-range surveillance and search and rescue, USAFR Aerial Spray & Airlift
  JC-130
  Temporary conversion for flight test operations; used to recover drones and spy satellite film capsules.
  KC-130F/R/T/J
  United States Marine Corps aerial refueling tanker and tactical airlifter
  LC-130F/H/R
  USAF / Air National Guard – Ski-equipped version for Arctic and Antarctic support operations; LC-130F and R previously operated by USN
  MC-130
  MC-130E/H Combat Talon I/II – Special operations infiltration/extraction variant
  MC-130W Combat Spear/Dragon Spear – Special operations tanker/gunship
  MC-130P Combat Shadow – Special operations tanker
  MC-130J Commando II (formerly Combat Shadow II) – Special operations tanker Air Force Special Operations Command
  YMC-130H – Modified aircraft under Operation Credible Sport for second Iran hostage crisis rescue attempt
  NC-130
  Permanent conversion for flight test operations
  PC-130/C-130-MP
  Maritime patrol
  RC-130A/S
  Surveillance aircraft for reconnaissance
  SC-130J Sea Herc
  Proposed maritime patrol version of the C-130J, designed for coastal surveillance and anti-submarine warfare.
  TC-130
  Aircrew training
  VC-130H
  VIP transport
  WC-130A/B/E/H/J
  Weather reconnaissance ("Hurricane Hunter") version for USAF / Air Force Reserve Command's 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron in support of the National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center
caption: A U.S. JC-130 aircraft retrieving a reconnaissance satellite film capsule under parachute.
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