The Royal Norwegian Air Force has received the first of four C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft upgraded with Block 8.1 software and hardware providing advanced navigation and defensive capabilities to the transport plane.
According to Lockheed Martin, the aircraft’s manufacturer, the upgrade will boost Super Hercules’ interoperability across Europe. The RNoAF acquired the four Hercules tactical transport planes between 2008 and 2012, and Lockheed’s facility in Greenville, South Carolina, is handling their upgrades.
The transport plane’s added features include a new flight management system compliant with communications navigation and surveillance systems for air traffic management. With the upgrades, the RNoAF’s pilots will also have vertical navigation capability with an autothrottle function, as well as access to an updated friend-or-foe identification and enhanced approach and landing protocols.
The cost of the sustainment and services for the upgrade was estimated at $166 million, based on the U.S. State Department’s approval of its contract in April 2023.
Norway is a member of the C-130J Super Hercules Joint User Group driving the current Block upgrade program for the aircraft
