Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. -- Gen. Adrian Spain, Commander of Air Combat Command, declared the HC-130J Combat King II has reached Full Operational Capability (FOC) in a memorandum signed in April.
The FOC declaration signifies that the HC-130J fleet met all required aircraft equipment and mission criteria with no operational restrictions, possesses the capability necessary to conduct Combat Search and Rescue missions, and maintainers and aircrew are trained to ensure fleet readiness. Following the declaration, ACC’s focus now shifts to maturing the aircraft to ensure mission success and maintaining the highest level of readiness.
“The HC-130J reaching FOC is a direct reflection of the professionalism of our Airmen,” said Spain. “Their commitment to excellence on the flightline, in the cockpit, and across our rescue community ensures this platform is ready for the mission. Our Airmen make the Combat King II what it is: a lifeline for those in harm’s way and a promise that we will never leave a teammate behind.”
The Combat King II is a series upgrade following the HC-130P/N King. It serves as the Air Force’s only fixed wing personnel recovery platform for CSAR and permissive search and rescue, while also supporting disaster relief and humanitarian assistance missions.
While the Air Force operates several C-130 variants, distinct upgrades went into the HC-130J, including the Situational Awareness Communications Upgrade (SACU) suite and Link-16, which provide aircrew computers and tablets connectivity for real-time data flow.
The most recent upgrade, implemented earlier this month, added Hybrid Satellite Communications to provide multi-orbit SATCOM connectivity.
“A main benefit of this upgrade is that it remains separate, or federated, from the aircraft’s data bus,” said Maj. Andrew Mackenzie, HC-130J Weapon System team chief at ACC. “This enables rapid upgrades and [installation of] new applications through the existing SACU suite, which reduces reliance on conventional Defense Industrial Base products and processes.”
Although the Combat King II only recently reached FOC, it has supported major combat operations since 2013.
“Recent rescue operations showed that CSAR is not a pickup game,” Mackenzie said. “It requires the HC-130J’s flexibility to succeed in denied environments. The Combat King stands ready to deliver.”
For additional information on the HC-130J Combat King II, the official fact sheet is available to view at: https://www.acc.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/3418667/hc-130j-combat-king-ii/.