RAAF Hercules fleet hits 170,000 flight hour milestone

RAAF Hercules Fleet Reaches 170,000 Flight Hours

The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) 37 Squadron has celebrated its C-130J Hercules fleet surpassing 170,000 flying hours. Since entering service in 1999, the Hercules has been vital for tactical airlift missions across Australia and critical operations overseas.

Role and Capabilities

The aircraft has been the backbone of the squadron’s ability to transport personnel, equipment, and support whenever needed. It has significantly enhanced Australia’s aerial defence with increased airlift capacity, extended range, higher payload, and advanced avionics.

Milestone Flight

Flight Lieutenant David Campbell, who piloted the aircraft during its 170,000th flight hour, highlighted the milestone’s importance:

“It was great to see that the milestone ticked over during a sortie very typical of C-130J operations – a resupply mission to Port Moresby in support of [Exercise] Olgeta Warrior.”
“It was a good opportunity to reflect on not just the flying hour milestone, but the immense contribution behind the scenes by our maintenance, logistics and operations personnel to keep the aircraft flying all these years, which would be many multiples of the flying hour total.”

Future Plans

The Hercules fleet is expected to remain operational into the 2030s, before being replaced by a new generation of C-130 aircraft under Project AIR 7404.

Summary

The RAAF’s C-130J Hercules fleet has proven essential for decades, combining advanced performance with dedicated support teams, and continues to serve vital national and international missions.

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Australian Aviation Australian Aviation — 2025-11-10

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