Description
The legacy C/KC-130T Hercules is a medium-sized multi-role, multi-mission transport aircraft supporting U.S. Navy operations world-wide. Naval Reserve C/KC-130T aircraft fulfill the Navy Unique Fleet Essential Airlift mission to provide the last logistic mile in support operations to forward deployed Naval Forces. Navy Test Wing KC-130Ts provide airborne flight test support for test and evaluation programs and Naval Land/Sea Test Range surveillance and clearance missions. The Navy has modified most of the four bladed legacy C/KC-130T aircraft with an eight bladed NP-2000 propeller system. Marine Corps divested of all KC-130T aircraft in 2021.

The KC-130J Super Hercules supports U.S. Marine Corps by providing tactical aerial refueling for fixed-wing, rotary-wing and tilt-rotor aircraft and can be configured to provide transport of personnel or cargo. KC-130J’s are currently being used in theatre for battlefield illumination, medical evacuation, air delivery of cargo, air-land supply, and air support and reconnaissance for ground Marines.  When equipped with Harvest Hercules Airborne Weapons Kit (HAWK), a modular roll-on roll-off weapons system, the KC-130J provides the Marine Corps with the ability to conduct close-air support and multi-sensor imagery reconnaissance.

The C-130J aircraft is used as a flight demonstration aircraft. Officially a Navy aircraft, it is flown and maintained by a U.S. Marine Corp crew as part of the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron.

Features
Common missions for C/KC-130T/J aircraft include aerial delivery of troops and cargo, unimproved landing zone operations and emergency evacuation of personnel and key equipment, search and rescue, medical, and humanitarian support.
As a tactical transport, the Hercules can carry 92 ground troops or 64 paratroopers and equipment. It can also be configured as a medical evacuation platform capable of carrying 74 patients on stretchers and their attendants.

General Characteristics
Primary Function: Aerial refueling, tactical passenger and cargo airlift
Contractor: Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Company, Marietta, Georgia
Unit Cost: C/KC-130T Average $44.1 million; KC-130J $78.3M $83M
Propulsion: C/KC-130T Four Allison T-56-A-16 engines; C/KC-130J Four Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop engines and four 6-bladed Dowty R391 propellers
Length: 97 feet 9 inches (29.3 meters).
Height: 38 feet 3 inches (11.4 meters)
Wingspan: 132 feet 7 inches (39.7 meters)
Weight: Maximum takeoff weight – C/KC-130T 155,000 pounds (69,750 kg); C/KC-130J 165,000 pounds (74,389 kg)
Airspeed: 374 mph (Mach 0.57, 604.4 kmh) at 20,000 feet
Ceiling: 33,000 feet with 100,000 pounds (45,000 kg) payload
Range: 2,350 miles (2,050 nautical miles, 3,770 km) with max payload; 2,500 mi (2,174 nautical mi, 4,000 km) with 25,000 pounds (11,250 kg) cargo; 5,200 mi (4,522 nautical mi, 8,320 km) with no cargo
Crew: 
KC-130T Five: two pilots, navigator, flight engineer, loadmaster
C-130T Four: two pilots, navigator, flight engineer
C/KC-130J Three: two pilots, crewmaster