C-130T Logistics Support Aircraft

The mission of the C-130T Logistics Support Aircraft is to provide logistics support to Navy fleet operating forces. The C-130T Aircraft provides rapid transportation for personnel or cargo for delivery by parachute or landing. The aircraft can be used as a tactical transport, or readily converted for ambulance or aerial delivery missions. The aircraft can land and take off on short runways, and can be used on landing strips such as those found in advanced base operations. It can provide mission capabilities such as emergency evacuation of personnel and key equipment, advanced party reconnaissance, and special warfare operations, as directed.

The C-130T Aircraft provides rapid logistics support to Navy operating forces. It can be configured to provide transportation of personnel or cargo. Delivery of cargo may be accomplished by parachute, low level fly-by ground extraction, or landing. The aircraft can be used as tactical transports and can be converted readily for ambulance or aerial delivery missions. As a tactical transport, the C-130T Aircraft can carry 92 ground troops or 64 paratroopers and equipment. It can be configured as a medical evacuation platform capable of carrying 74 litters. The C-130T Aircraft can land and takeoff on short runways and can be used on primitive landing strips in advanced base areas.

The C-130T can haul much more cargo than a C-9B can accommodate, but the C-130T can only fly about half as fast as a C-9B or C-20G. A typical C-130T squadron has 4 aircraft. These aircraft are called on when there are very large unit movements, with the people going ahead in one or more C-9B's and the cargo following in a C-130T. The Marine Corps Reserve also operates 24 KC-130T's (a tanker configuration) but they do not perform the same type of missions as the Navy Reserve C-130T's.

The seven C-9B squadrons and the four C-130T squadrons work together to keep one C-9B and one C-130T forward deployed to NAS Atsugi, Japan and two C-9B's and one C-130T forward deployed to NAS Sigonella, Italy most of the time. Crews and aircraft usually perform two week rotations, leaving their home base on a Saturday morning and returning on a Sunday afternoon two weeks later. These rotations are planned well in advance, so Navy VR bases can be good places to pick up a flight overseas. The C-9B aircraft can only carry a very limited load on long transit legs, though, so C-130T deployments are a more reliable way of getting overseas. Generally the squadrons in the eastern part of the United States fill the Sigonella commitment while those in the west go to Atsugi, but there is some crossover. The C-20G aircraft also perform some two week rotations, but with only four aircraft they don't try to keep one overseas all the time.

The C-130T Aircraft is a high wing, all metal, long-range, land-based monoplane. Power is supplied by four Allison T56-A-16 turboprop, constant-speed engines. Provisions for assisted takeoff solid-fuel units are provided to satisfy requirements for additional thrust during takeoff. Each engine drives a four-blade Hamilton Standard Hydromatic, constant-speed propeller with full feathering and reversible pitch capability.

The landing gear system includes a steerable, dual wheel nose gear, and two tandem mounted main landing gears. Main landing gear system consists of 4 wheels, two mounted in tandem on each side of the fuselage. The nose landing gear is a swing type gear, extending down and aft, actuated by a hydraulic cylinder and secured in the up and down positions by locks.

Paratroop doors are aft of the main landing gear wheel wells. These doors are very heavy and work on a counterbalance system. Use caution when opening and closing the doors. Never slam the paratroop doors shut, serious damage may occur. When these doors are open (up) they must be pinned. The cargo door and ramp system: allows for the quick loading and off-loading of cargo, equipment, and personnel. Located in the empennage. The cargo door should never be operated when personnel are working above it, and the ramp should not be lowered without first checking the area around it for clearance. The cargo door and ramp have two modes of operation, manual, and electric hydraulic pump. The aerial delivery (dual rail) system restrains pallets in the forward, aft, and side restraint. It consists of eight outboard rail assemblies and 20 conveyor frames. Both right and left rail assemblies contain a master control, detent latches and retractable flanges.

The C-130T Aircraft is operated by a crew of five; two officer and three enlisted aircrew personnel consisting of a pilot, copilot, radio operator-loadmaster, flight engineer, and flight attendant. The Pilot is in command of the aircraft and is responsible for the safe and orderly conduct of the flight. The Co-pilot is the second in command and is responsible for assisting the pilot in the performance of their duties. The Flight Engineer is responsible for computing the take off, climb, cruise, and landing data, and monitor all safety precautions. The Loadmaster is responsible for maintaining a safe center of gravity for the aircraft with the loading and unloading of the aircraft with cargo or passengers. The Flight Attendant/Observer assists with passengers, cargo, and acts as visual reference during in flight refueling.

The C-130T Logistics Support Aircraft is assigned to Naval Reserve Fleet Logistics Support Squadrons (VR). The C-130T Aircraft was introduced into the Naval Air Reserve Force as a new production aircraft. Introduction began in July 1991, and delivery was completed in December 1996. A total of 20 C-130T Aircraft have been delivered to the Naval Reserve Force. Aircraft have been delivered to the Naval Air Reserve Force as follows: five to VR-53, Andrews Air Force Base (AFB), Maryland; five to VR-54, Naval Air Station (NAS) New Orleans, Louisiana; five to VR-55, Moffett Federal Airfield, California; and five to VR-62, NAS Brunswick, Maine. The aircraft achieved Initial Operational Capability in FY92, Material Support Date in FY93, and Navy Support Date in FY94. Two C-130T Aircraft were transferred to NAVAIRWARCENACDIV Patuxent River, Maryland, for F/A-18E/F in-flight test support. In FY00, these two aircraft returned, one each, to Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR)-55 and VR-62 in the Naval Reserve Fleet.