Norway Receives First C-130J-30 Super Hercules with Block 8.1 Upgrade

Lockheed Martin has completed the delivery of the first of four C-130J-30 Super Hercules tactical airlifters, featuring the Block 8.1 upgrade, to the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF).

This delivery aims to provide the RNoAF with advanced capabilities and improved Super Hercules interoperability in the Nordic region and across Europe.

The Royal Norwegian Air Force, operating a fleet of C-130J-30 tactical airlifters received between 2008–2012, is undergoing the Block 8.1 upgrade at Lockheed Martin's facility in Greenville, South Carolina. The aircraft, post-upgrade, was recently transported from Greenville to Norway by an RNoAF crew and is now stationed at the 335 Squadron Gardermoen Air Station.

The Block 8.1 upgrade includes software and hardware expansions designed to provide greater global reach, enhanced navigation, and additional defensive capabilities. Some of the features encompass a new flight management system, civil GPS, updated Identification Friend or Foe, and an enhanced inter-communication system.

Norway, as a member of the C-130J Super Hercules Joint User Group (JUG), plays a role in shaping and developing the Super Hercules Block Upgrade Program. Block 8.1 is now the standard for all new production model Super Hercules airlifters, with operators including the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, as well as Australia, France, Germany, and New Zealand.

The C-130J-30s in Norway's fleet are utilized for various tactical missions, including personnel and equipment transport, humanitarian operations, aeromedical airlift, Special Operations, cold weather operations, and natural disaster relief. As the first Foreign Military Sale for the C-130J Super Hercules program, the RNoAF has been a long-time Hercules operator.