On 08JUL2019, some of the last AC-130U ‘Spooky’ with the 4th Special Operations Squadron returned from a recent deployment.
AC-130Us have been on constant deployment since 2001, but are supposed to soon be replaced by the new AC-130J Ghostrider.
U.S. Air Force video report by Staff Sergeant Marleah Cabano:
A Spooky sight at Hurlburt Field, Florida, 08JUL2019.
Here’s a cool video of the homecoming:
Welcome home!
Big Daddy AC-130U: 
Tennessee Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Darby Arnold, 25JUN2019.
K9 Callie and her handler, Technical Sergeant Rudy Parsons, a para-rescueman (aka Para-Jumper, PJ) with the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron, Kentucky Air National Guard, wait to jump into the icy water off Alaska, 25JUN2019.
Tennessee Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Darby Arnold, 25JUN2019.
Video (by SSgt Darby Arnold) of people jumping out of a perfectly good Alaskan National Guard HC-130J Combat King-2 (I think the dog was just along for the ride on this one):
Tennessee Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Darby Arnold, 25JUN2019.
K9 Callie, a Dutch Shepherd, trained for search and rescue, sits on the ramp of an HC-130J aircraft awaiting training at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, 25JUN2019.
VEHICLE I-D: 
ALASKA MILITIA GETS NEW HC-130J
THAT’S NOT A C-130J, IT’S STILL THE OLD C-130H!
“When we add these modifications to all of our aircraft, we will greatly increase the reliability and performance of the C-130H, and the overall lethality of the United States Air Force.”-Colonel Justin Walrath, Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing
You can’t count on those six bladed props to tell you that you’re looking at a C-130J Super Hercules anymore. The following pics are an old school C-130H upgraded with new engines and props that might make it look like a C-130J to the casual observer, along with a few other things.
The Wyoming Air National Guard is proud to be the first operator of the first C-130H upgraded with ‘J-like’ components. Wyoming was chosen in 2008 to get and try out upgraded C-130Hs.
The C-130J has six bladed props.
C-130J Super Hercules. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Harry Brexel, 03FEB2017.
Most obvious change for upgraded C-130H are the turbines and eight bladed air-screws (evil British empire Rolls-Royce T56 series 3.5 with NP2000 props). The modifications took place over 18 months at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas.
Upgraded C-130H Hercules. U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Junior, 11JAN2018.
Initial testing took place at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Supposedly the C-130H modifications mean various state National Guard units will save taxpayer money versus buying the C-130J.
HARVEY: GEORGIA MILITIA DEPLOYS C-130H!
WC-130J SUPER HERCULES TRACKS HURRICANE HARVEY
VEHICLE I-D: ALASKA MILITIA GETS NEW HC-130J
STOP YOUR BITCHIN’! FEMALE PILOT TELLS YOU WHY SHE FLIES MAFFS
The happy new operators of a brand new HC-130J, picking up their ride from the Lockheed Martin facility in Greenville, South Carolina, 01JUN2017. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Edward Eagerton.
On 03JUN2017, Alaska Air National Guard’s 211th Rescue Squadron, on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, got its first HC-130J. It was such a big deal that it looks like all the base personnel turned out to witness the arrival of Super Hercules:
The HC-130J Combat King-2 arrives on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, 03JUN2017. Alaska Air National Guard photo by Technical Sergeant Nancy Goldberger.
The HC-130J, aka Combat King-2, is designed as a long range Search & Rescue (SaR) aircraft, specializing in rescues during combat, as well as being a long range surveillance aircraft.
U.S. Coast Guard HC-130J in Waco, Texas, awaiting electronics upgrades, 11MAY2017. U.S. Coast Guard photo.
VEHICLE I-D: NTC AND THE BRADLEY
Drugs, the American Way: ALASKA MILITIA PREPS FOR HEROIN EPIDEMIC!
23 April 2017 / 23:49 UTC-07 Tango 06 (03 Ordibehest 1396/26 Rajab 1438/28 Jia Chen 4715)
Susan Kett of U.S. Forest Service, David Lafon of North Carolina Forest Service and Robert Wheatley from CAL FIRE, on the flightline at Gowen Field, Idaho.
Technical Sergeant Miguel Corona, 146th Maintenance Squadron California National Guard, inspects the flight deck of a C-130J at Gowen Field, Idaho.
Tech. Sgt. Kye Dudley, 146th Maintenance Squadron California National Guard, inspects main wheel wells of a C-130J at Gowen Field, Idaho.
Senior Airman Santos Casaus operates ground generator that will provide electrical power to a sleeping C-130J, Gowen Field, Idaho.
Staff Sgt. Joseph Perez inspects the prop of a C-130J at Gowen Field, Idaho. If oil is leaking from the prop hub the whole propeller assembly must be replaced.
Even transports use HUDs (Heads Up Display). Airman 1st Class Alexis Carranza inspects the HUD inside a C-130J at Gowen Field, Idaho, 20 APR 2017.
Tech. Sgt. Miguel Corona inspects an oxygen mask inside of a C-130J.
Fire in the Hole! USAF Staff Sgt. Kelsey Herzfeld, assigned to the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing, preps to connect the MAFFS nozzle to one of two Wyoming Air National Guard MAFFS C-130H. The work was done before leaving for Idaho. The Wyoming Air Militia has been flying MAFFS missions since 1975.
Nevada “High Rollers” C-130H follows a USFS spotter plane over western Idaho, 21 APR 2017.
A MAFFS unit being installed in a C-130H. Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System can dump 3-thousand gallons of water in five seconds!
Video: MAFFS BOMBS IDAHO!
23 April 2017 / 18:41 UTC-07 Tango 06 (03 Ordibehest 1396/26 Rajab 1438/28 Jia Chen 4715)
Staff Sgt. Benny Romero, 146th Airlift Wing, California Air Militia, inspects the C-130J’s main landing gear on Gowen Field, Idaho, 20APR2017. U.S. Air Force photo by Major Jolene Ortiona.
MAFFS 9 (C-130H) of 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air Militia, east of Boise, Idaho, 21APR2017. California Air Militia photo by Staff Sergeant Nieko Carzis.
Video of MAFFS practice water drops in western Idaho, 22 APR 2017:
MAFFS 2 and MAFFS 5, from Air Force Reserve’s 302nd Airlift Wing, Colorado, on Gowen Field, Idaho, for USFS training.
Nevada Air National Guard MAFFS 8 (C-130H) of 152nd Airlift Wing “High Rollers”, east of Boise, Idaho, 21APR2017. California Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Nieko Carzis.
IDAHO CONDUCTS MASSIVE MAFFS TRAINING, IN PREPS FOR HOT WILDFIRE SEASON!
HOLY VIRTUAL ‘COPTER! IOWA MILITIA 1ST TO USE BAT-cave!
20 April 2017 / 18:27 UTC-07 Tango 06 (01 Ordibehest 1396/24 Rajab 1438/25 Jia Chen 4715)
“We look forward to this joint training with our military and civilian partners. Training together with all four MAFFS wings alongside U.S. Forest Service and other wildland firefighting agencies here in Boise provides a significant opportunity as we prepare for another challenging wildfire season.”-Colonel Bryan Allen, Air Expedition Group
MAFFS=Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System
More than 4-hundred state National Guard and federal Reserve personnel from California, Colorado, Nevada and Wyoming arrived in Gowen Field, Idaho, for a week of U.S. Forest Service training: “MAFFS have played a critical role in wildfire suppression for more than 40 years by providing surge capacity when commercial airtankers are fully committed or not readily available as they frequently are during periods of high wildfire activity.”-Kim Christensen, USFS
C-130 aircraft from three National Guard units and a U.S. Air Force Reserve unit arrive at Gowen Field, Idaho, 20APR2017. California Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Nieko Carzis.
“Dude!”, 2013 Wyoming militia MAFFS drop:
2013 Wyoming MAFFS load up:
2013 California militia MAFFS drop:
MAFFS: WILDFIRE SEASON 2018 GOING TO BE A HOT ONE?
Ten minutes of Ohio National Guard’s 179th Airlift Wing C-130H transports, in action and at rest:
40 seconds of Ohio C-130H buzzing a football game:
RUSSIA DELIVERS C-130 SIMULATOR TO U.S. MARINES IN JAPAN!
C-130 MAFFS: WILDFIRE SEASON 2018 GOING TO BE A HOT ONE!
45 YEARS OF C-130 MAFFS OPS. WHO WOULD’VE KNOWN WILDFIRES WOULD BECOME SUCH A PROBLEM?
10 September 2016 (15:32 UTC-07 Tango 01) 20 Shahrivar 1395/07 Dhu I-Hijja 1437/10 Ding-You 4714
North Carolina Air National Guard photo by First Lieutenant Monica Ebert.
Apparently the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of Defense (DoD) think the 2018 fire season is gonna’ be big because they’ve just added another MAFFS C-130 firefighting unit to their western states inventory.
Nevada National Guard 152 Airlift Wing’s brand new MAFFS C-130H
MAFFS stands for Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System. The Forest Service owns the MAFFS, the DoD (through USAF Reserve and state militias) provides the C-130s and personnel to operate it.
C-130J MAFFS 4, Channel Islands, California
Currently there are three MAFFS units operated by the state militias of California, North Carolina and Wyoming, and one MAFFS Air Force Reserve unit out of Colorado. Since early August MAFFS have already flown 142 firefighting missions, dropping more than 3.5-million pounds (1.6-million kilos) of fire-retardant in Idaho, Nevada and Oregon.
North Carolina ANG photo by First Lieutenant Monica Ebert.
Nevada’s 152 AW High Rollers will be used to augment the units from Colorado and Wyoming, and will be based in Reno. While MAFFS fly missions across the country, the U.S. Forest Service wanted a new MAFFS unit whose home base is in the fire prone Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The MAFFS equipment is being transferred from North Carolina Air National Guard’s 145th Airlift Wing to Nevada’s 152nd Airlift Wing.
C-130H MAFFS 8, out of North Carolina
This year’s official fire season began MAFFS on-job-training for crews of the High Rollers: “The actual drops have been challenging and exhilarating. It’s a great feeling to see your immediate results whether we are dropping a protective line of retardant between the fire and someone’s property or dropping ‘mud’ directly on flames leaping from the tops of trees in an effort to slow the fire’s progress.”-Lietenant Colonel Tony Machabee, first member of the High Rollers to co-pilot a MAFFS mission
The U.S. Forest Service wants the new 152 AW MAFFS unit ready to launch for the 2018 wildfire season. The Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences predicts that by 2050 the official U.S. wildfire season will be three weeks longer, and for several years now the Pacific Northwest has been dealing with major fires in the official off-season.
Video: 45 YEARS OF C-130 MAFFS OPS. WHO WOULD’VE KNOWN WILDFIRES WOULD BECOME SUCH A PROBLEM?
633rd ABW at Joint Base Langley, Virginia:
VEHICLE I-D: A-29B SUPER TUCANO, GREEN FLAG EAST
B-1, B-2 & B-52 NEW ‘INTEGRATED BOMBER FORCE’, B-B-B-B-BAAD TO THE BONE!