Update — Lockheed C-130J Hercules II

Emphasis On Cost

Cost is a key design parameter in the definition of the C-130J and according to Hansen it was Lockheed’s “number one requirement.” In every area of improvement, increases in cost had to be equalled by improvements in efficiency and lower operating costs for the end user. This low-cost philosophy however looks set to deliver an aircraft with greatly improved capabilities and with significantly lower operating costs, yet with an acquisition price tag comparable to that of the current C-130H.

The emphasis on keeping the development budget, and thus the aircraft’s end cost down, was primarily driven by the US Air Force. During 1988 Lockheed proposed that the USAF replace its ageing C-130E fleet with the C-130H. However the USAF instead expressed a desire for a more modern aircraft with lower operating costs. Thus was born the C-130J. Lockheed’s original proposal envisaged an aircraft with a development cost approaching $US1bn, but this cost was too much for the USAF, who instead ironically had started to order C-130Hs, although this programme was later cancelled.

Undeterred, Lockheed launched development of the C-130J as a private venture, aimed at meeting both USAF and export requirements, capable of doing everything the H model could, but at less cost. “The C-130J will essentially have the same versatility and airlift capability as its mission proven predecessors, but will operate more efficiently and at a lower life cycle cost,” according to LASC C-130J Programme Director Bill Mikolowsky.

The savings Lockheed now promises are indeed impressive. The company promises that despite its numerous new technology goodies, the J’s unit cost will be the same as the H, largely due to reduced production costs. While a two-crew cockpit, rather than the four-crew station on the previous models, new generation Allison AE 2100 turboprops which promise 15% better fuel economy with lower maintenance requirements, plus far more reliable modern technology avionics and associated systems will contribute to significantly lower long-term operating costs. Lockheed calculates that maintenance manpower costs for the J will be reduced by 50% over earlier models (with personnel requirements to support a fleet of 16 C-130Js reduced from 661 to 406), operating and support costs will be cut by 30% and crewing costs will be reduced by 40%.

However, the Hercules Ii also promises significant performance improvements over earlier Hercules models, largely due to the new engines and six-bladed Dowty props. Compared with the C-130E, the J (at similar weights) will have a 41% less takeoff roll, a 46% improved rate of climb, a time to climb reduced by 59%, 356% greater range and a 21% higher max speed, while compared to the C-130H it can takeoff in 32% less distance, climb 17% quicker in 37% less time, fly 43% further and has a 13% higher maximum speed. These performance benefits mean the Hercules Ii can deliver 13 tonnes (28,665lb) more cargo, slightly more than one Hercules typical payload of 9080kg (20,000lb) in one day than a H. Increased availability through reduced maintenance requirements mean that a greater workload can be performed by a fleet of Js compared with the E or H, or a smaller number can perform the same workload, either bringing great advances in efficiency.

The improvements in performance are largely courtesy of the new Allison AE 2100 turboprops and the advanced six-bladed Dowty R-931 propellers. Together the engines and propellers produce 29% greater thrust than the T56s and its four-blade props on earlier Hercules, while at the same time being 15% more fuel efficient in cruise flight conditions.

Hansen called the C-130J’s propulsion system a “zero risk power system.” The Allison AE 2100 is currently in service aboard the Saab 2000 high speed 50 seat airliner, and is in fact based on the T406 turboshaft developed for the V-22 Osprey tilt rotor. The AE 2100 is rated at 6070shp (4530kW), but for the C-130J is flat rated at 4591shp (3693kW). Aside from the extra power the AE 2100s will output, the new engines will also maintain their power rating to a much higher altitude than the T56, 18,000ft. Command inputs for the engines from the flightcrew will be via power-by-wire, eliminating control runs from the cockpit to the engines, while each engine will be fitted with two Lucas full authority digital engine control (FADEC) units, similar to those developed for the Saab 2000. FADEC functions will include automatic thrust control and automatic feathering in the event of an engine failure.

The all-composite swept six-blade Dowty props are lighter in weight and have fewer moving parts than the four-bladed Hamilton Standard units on the E and H models. They are similar to the propellers developed for the Saab 2000. Earlier this year Lockheed conducted a 47-flight test hour programme aimed at validating the performance promises of the engine and powerplant propulsion package. An AE 2100 and its six-bladed prop was fitted on a leased Royal Air Force Hercules C Mk 1, inboard on the aircraft’s left wing. The tests covered several key parameters including evaluation of flutter clearance, propeller blade and shaft stress, powerplant response, airframe structural response and noise characteristics.

The tests, which Bill Mikolowsky says were “a very significant step in reducing the risk of the C-130J programme,” were very successful, and were completed in less than the allotted time. As important as the propulsion package in reducing the C-130J’s operating costs is its advanced two-crew cockpit.

Two-crew cockpits have been commonplace on airliners for a decade now, but are only now appearing on military airlifters (including the C-17 Globemaster Iii). Up until now the standard C-130 Hercules flightcrew was for four, including two pilots, a flight engineer and a navigator. With the C-130J the flight engineer and navigator have been deleted, their functions being now much more simplified, meaning that they can be handled by the two pilots or the aircraft’s mission computers.

The Hercules Ii will incorporate fighter-like technology on the flightdeck, with some systems having similar or even higher levels of technology than that being developed for the Lockheed F-22. According to Al Hansen, the C-130J will have the most advanced electronic flightdeck of any aircraft yet built or under serious development, including the Boeing 777.

Central to the C-130J flightdeck will be two Heads Up Displays, which will present the pilots with their primary flight information. The main instrument panel features four large, flat-screen, colour Liquid Crystal Displays. The four displays are multi-functional and are perhaps the most advanced yet developed for a transport aircraft. The four displays (two extra displays could be fitted if required) are readable in almost any light conditions, including harsh direct sunlight, and from extreme angles. They are also night vision (NVIS) compatible, allowing the crew to operate the aircraft into and out of areas of total darkness with special night vision goggles, this being particularly useful for special missions operations.

Across the top of the flightdeck panel are five monochrome LCDs that the pilots will use to control the main displays, set radio frequencies and manage the avionics and systems. Additionally the pilots will be able to input commands through controls on the control columns, including for radio selection, chaff and flare dispensing and HUD declutter. Back-up analog primary flight display instruments are also provided.

The C-130J flightdeck, while optimised for two-crew, will have provision for a third crew member either at the end of the centre control console, or in the current flight engineer station. This station could be equipped with a large LCD as on the main console. Lockheed has yet to decide if a third crew member would be needed for higher workload missions such as air-to-air refuelling and low-level flying.

The Hercules Ii’s avionics systems will be controlled by two mission computers (one mission computer will be able to handle the workload, a second unit is included for redundancy). The computers and the two MIL STD 1553 bus interface units (again, a second is provided for redundancy) provide backup for the Hercules’ various systems, including the power-by-wire control system for the engines. The computers also provide for an integrated diagnostics system on the aircraft’s status for the crew.

Features of the avionics include digital colour WX radar, digital autopilot/flight director, dual INS with embedded GPS and a digital map display. Simplified avionics systems confer considerable cost savings through reduced production requirements and acquisition costs. Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) for example have been reduced from 598 to 302, there are just 37 wire assemblies instead of 223, while wire terminations have been cut to 9,240 down from 85,000.

The C-130J will also be built with provision for defensive systems with a measure of protection against heat-seeking and radar-guided missiles. The defensive systems will include ALE-47 countermeasures dispensers, an AAR-47 infrared missile warning system, an ALQ-157 infrared jammer and an ALR-69 radar warning receiver. The pilots too get some protection in the form of kevlar armour. Lockheed was able to add kevlar protection for the crew because of weight savings in other areas of the aircraft.

In most other areas, the C-130J airframe remains largely unchanged from current production C-130Hs, although there are some minor detail changes. In some areas changes have been made to address problems found with experience in previous models, including the trailing edges and flaps, while in a small number of areas composite materials have been used. The J model will also incorporate all fatigue and corrosion protection measures introduced progressively on earlier models.

A number of airframe systems have also been simplified, resulting in less weight and complexity and lower costs. The fuel system is one example of this, despite the fact that the plumbing and associated systems for the optional air-to-air refuelling probe and the hose and drogue refuelling pods on either wing (the C-130J will be easily configured to be refuelled and to refuel others in the air with the simple addition of the appropriate kits) are included as standard. Further the two underwing external fuel tanks have been removed because of the fuel efficiency of the new Allison engines, although they too can be fitted optionally for extended range missions.

Aside from changes to the aircraft itself, Lockheed is making a number of changes to the way it builds the aircraft to cut its acquisition costs. Lockheed is adopting a modular assembly process, which it hopes will cut by thousands of hours the time it takes to build a C-130J compared with a C-130H, and allow it to offer the C-130J for the same unit cost as the H. Much of the savings will come from the reduced amount of wiring that is needed, while the wiring that is needed will be installed during construction, rather than final assembly.

Privately Funded

Good business practices are also contributing to the C-130J’s lower costs. Al Hansen spoke enthusiastically of how the C-130J programme’s many suppliers are all participating in the development as risk-sharing partners, providing direct funding for their shares of the project. With the suppliers having a direct financial interest in the programme he said vendors have a different attitude towards the programme and are keenly studying and implementing practices aimed at curbing or reducing costs.

All C-130J suppliers also had to bid for their position on the programme against other potential suppliers, thus further keeping costs from escalating. All suppliers are expected to keep a tight rein on costs, and Lockheed expects suppliers to further reduce their costs during the production life of the aircraft.

The rollout and first flight of the first C-130J is currently on track for mid-1995. Because the C-130J is a privately funded programme, it will be initially certificated to civil, rather than military standards. The first four C-130Js to be built will be used in an FAA certification programme, while a fifth will be available as a backup. Certification is planned for late 1996 and first customer deliveries during 1997.

Hercules Variants

Like earlier Hercules models the J model is being offered in standard length and longer C-130J-30 variants. Also as with earlier variants, Lockheed anticipates over time developing special missions adaptions of the C-130J, such as gunships, special missions rescue, and AEW. At the moment Lockheed is working on special Search and Rescue and surveillance pods to be installed between the engines on the external tank stations.

Civil certification also means that Lockheed can offer its civilian freighter version of the J, the L-100J concurrently. The L-100J is the commercial version of the longer fuselage C-130J-30, and is essentially similar save for the deletion of some military equipment, such as the defensive systems. Lockheed claims that if the L-100J is fitted with the optional side-loading door and the existing cargo compartment ramp is replaced with an optional longer, contoured version which can support freight, the L-100J could carry seven M1 type pallets or containers, rather than five in the current civil version, the L-100-30.

Australia And The Hercules Ii

With the recent budget approval for the RAAF to order 12 C-130Js, Australia has become the first major customer for the Hercules Ii (the USAF at this stage is funding two). The Js will replace No 37 Squadron’s ageing C-130Es, which have been in service since August 1966. These 28-year-old machines are now suffering from poor availability and are becoming increasingly more difficult to maintain. Most of 37 Squadron’s Es have flown about 9,000 hours, and are currently clocking up about 750 hours per annum.

The budget approval should be followed by a firm contract signature in the coming months, with first deliveries in 1997, and the last delivered in 1999. Australia however looks set to become an even larger operator of the Hercules Ii with the replacement of the tactical C-130Hs of 36 Squadron with C-130Js a strong possibility. A decision will have to be made within the next three years as to whether to upgrade the Hs or replace them with additional Js (upgrading the Es was not really an option because of their structural problems). At around the same time too the Royal New Zealand Air Force will be looking at replacing its H models, so a joint Australia/New Zealand C-130J buy could be a possibility.

As well as replacements for the RAAF’s current Hercules fleet, smaller numbers of Js are an option to replace the Caribou. A decision on the replacement of the Caribou is expected by late 1996, with more likely contenders including the Alenia G.222 and CASA/IPTN CN-235. The C-130J could also form the basis for the RAAF’s long awaited Airborne Early Warning platform, when a decision is finally made on this important project later in the decade.

Sales Prospects

Outside Australia the prospects for the C-130J also looks quite bright. For Lockheed the major prize would be the replacement of the US Air Force’s large Vietnam-era C-130E fleet with Js. The USAF’s ageing C-130E fleet is in need of replacement, with similar problems of maintainability and availability being experienced.

Thus far the USAF has converted funding from the Air National Guard and Reserves for two C-130Js for the active air force, which will participate in the development and certification programme. Lockheed views this move as a step towards the USAF purchasing the J in quantity (the USAF presently has more than 450 C-130s in service, most of which are Es), although currently there is no official funding for a C-130J procurement programme.

Outside the US, Lockheed is lobbying furiously for the C-130J to be selected as the Royal Air Force’s replacement for its 30 C-130K Hercules. Against this is pitted the larger and all-new European Future Large Aircraft (FLA), in which British Aerospace is a participant. Development of the FLA has now been handed over to Airbus, but many still regard it as a paper aeroplane.

Arguments in the C-130J versus FLA battle are based on emotion and European politics as much as aircraft capability. Needless to say the FLA is seen as a very important project for the European aerospace industry, and the UK is regarded as an important market, however timing may work in the C-130J’s favour as the UK Ministry of Defence expects to make a decision on the RAF transport fleet this December. The UK C-130 fleet is approaching an availability rate of just 50% and the RAF has the highest Hercules utilisation rate of any C-130 operator. BAe is proposing that the C-130s be upgraded pending the availability of the FLA.

Conclusion

Al Hansen noted with pride that over the past few years the Hercules has taken part in every major humanitarian relief effort, including Bosnia, Rwanda and Somalia, while more than 2,000 remain in service in over 60 countries. With the C-130J’s major improvements in performance, operating and acquisition costs, the Hercules’ position as the definitive tactical airlifter looks set to remain well into the next century.