Taiwan has decided to acquire 10 C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft from the United States, setting aside earlier plans to modernize its aging C-130H fleet.
According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, an internal evaluation concluded that investing in upgrades for the decades-old aircraft would not provide sufficient capability improvements to justify the projected expenditure.
The island’s 19 C-130H aircraft had been earmarked for extensive modernization between 2015 and 2020. Planned enhancements covered avionics upgrades, maritime search-and-rescue improvements, simulator modernization, upgraded tracking and reporting systems, and enhanced mid-air collision avoidance systems.
In addition, assessments revealed that the aircraft structures required reinforcement due to age, further driving up costs and increasing technical challenges.
Ensuring full compatibility and operational alignment with US and allied forces in high-threat environments was also cited as a primary reason for transitioning to the newer C-130J variant.
Enhanced Capability and Operational Flexibility
The C-130J Super Hercules features a glass cockpit and more powerful propulsion systems, enabling quicker deployment, improved safety, and superior logistics performance.
Compared to the older H-model, the C-130J delivers longer range, better short-field performance, increased payload capacity, and reduced crew requirements, without significantly increasing maintenance demands.
Under the new plan, the C-130H fleet will receive only minimal local upgrades. Taiwan will adopt a high-low fleet structure, with the C-130J supplementing and gradually replacing portions of the older fleet.
The Super Hercules aircraft will be tasked with higher-intensity missions, including night operations, while the C-130H will remain responsible for standard transport roles.
