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United States Lockheed Martin
C-130J Super Hercules
Modernized version of the venerable C-130 tactical airlifter with new engines, six-blade propellers and digital avionics. Operated by dozens of nations for troop, cargo and special-mission transport.
In service since 1999 · 25 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
644
km/h
3,334
km range
8,615
m ceiling
💲 ≈ $106,000,000 — Approximate flyaway unit cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 25 operators
In service since 1999. Status: active · ~500 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$265M – $371M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost — operating & support dominate over ~35 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 644 km/h Stronger than 14% of transport aircraft
- Cruise speed
Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.
- 592 km/h Stronger than 19% of transport aircraft
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 3,334 km Bottom 10% of transport aircraft
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 8,615 m Bottom 3% of transport aircraft
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 29.79 m
- Wingspan
Wingtip-to-wingtip span.
- 40.4 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 11.66 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 34,400 kg
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 74,400 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 3
- Cargo payload
Maximum cargo the transport can carry. Higher means more lift per sortie.
- 19,051 kg Stronger than 13% of transport aircraft
- Troop capacity
Number of embarked troops/passengers (IFV, APC, transport). Higher carries more.
- 92 Stronger than 35% of transport aircraft
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop
- Engines
Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.
- 4
- Engine power
Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.
- 4,591 hp
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turboprop
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $106,000,000
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 500 Stronger than 89% of transport aircraft
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 25 Top 10% of transport aircraft
Specifications compiled from public Lockheed Martin and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
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Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) KJ-2000 Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules? +
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules has a maximum speed of 644 km/h.
What is the range of the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules? +
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules has a maximum range of 3,334 km.
How much does the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules weigh? +
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules has a combat weight of 74,400 kg.
How many crew does the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules require? +
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules requires a crew of 3.
What engine does the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules use? +
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules is powered by the Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop.
How many countries operate the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules? +
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules is operated by 25 countries.
How much does the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules cost? +
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules has an approximate unit cost of 106,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
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