dailynewsnblog
In July and August, the United States Air Force ran exercises operating its new and considerably upgraded Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules in austere environments in Iceland during Exercise Northern Viking. During these exercises, the Super Hercules landed and took off from grassy fields and a beach, demonstrating that they can operate in austere environments.
These included some environments that might have required the legacy ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules. However, the C-130J is still unable to operate on snow and ice like the LC-130. Instead, the Air Force shows the new standard-wheeled Super Hercules is able to operate in a wider range of austere conditions than the legacy wheel-equipped Hercules. At the same time, the USAF is finally funding a new generation of ski-equipped Super Hercules to replace the LC-130H starting by the end of the decade.
Air Force Lands C-130J On A Beach
The US Air Force announced in August 2026 that its 37th Airlift Squadron took part in Northern Viking 2026 in Iceland. The squadron brought USAF C-130J Super Hercules transport airlifters to “engage in specialized operations alongside NATO Allies.” They tested their training in the north’s austere environment that poses unique challenges, including the limits of their C-130J transports.
US Air Force Senior Airman Lydia Knight, 37th AS loadmaster, said that “this airplane is very versatile; it can do a lot, so it’s really fun when we get to go out and actually put those types of things to practice.” She then explained that “especially here in the higher regions where it’s colder, we have procedures that we get to do, so it’s really fun to actually implement those.”
During the exercises, the squadron landed the Super Hercules on a beach and a grass field, noting that the Super Hercules “can really do it all.” Iceland is a NATO member that sits at the crossroads of increasingly accessible maritime corridors that are opening up new transit routes and resources in the Arctic and the High North. The Air Force says this is “setting the stage for increased activity and competition.”
NY ANG’s LC-130 Skibirds
In 2017, the New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing stated it is the only unit in the world to operate ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft, called Skibirds. These are based on the older, less powerful C-130H legacy Hercules, and Simple Flying has previously reported that they sometimes have external rocket pods attached that provide extra thrust to help the aircraft get airborne when escaping snow.
To train for brutal conditions, the unit sometimes trains at Kangerlussuaq in Greenland, right on the Greenland ice cap. This is the location of the ‘Kool School,’ which is the colloquial name for the Arctic Aircraft Recovery School, an intense cold-weather survival training program conducted on the Greenland ice cap.
One loadmaster said that it’s important to train in Greenland before being deployed to Antarctica, as “all missions – there’s no time to do multiple landings or try things out. The training here is so valuable.” The New York ANG wrote that the Skibirds “provide the airlift needed to get to remote locations in Antarctica and Greenland in support of the National Science Foundation. It’s a mission unique to the wing and one that requires specialized training.”
The unit has around 60 loadmasters, and these operate in many of the most inhospitable regions that the Air Force deploys to. But while the Active Air Force has now completely transitioned to the Super Hercules, some units in the Air National Guard are yet to transition.
Funding The Replacement Of LC-130Hs
In October 2025, The War Zone reported that the New York ANG’s unique LC-130H Skibirds are getting closer to replacement. The publication noted that replacing these aging aircraft and acknowledging their role in the increasingly important Arctic region was being seen as increasingly urgent.
The War Zone said that “the document states that funds of $29 million are to be realigned within the Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Air Force, 25/26, appropriation.” In January 2026, Inside Defense reported that the budget was allocating an additional $165 million for procurement of an initial LC-130J aircraft and its components. This is in addition to the $29 million outlined by The War Zone a few months prior.
New York Air National Guard 109th Airlift Wing’s LC-130H (per NY ANG) | |
|---|---|
Quantity | 10 (2025) |
Subvariants | LC-130H-2, LC-130H-3 |
Years delivered | 1974 to 1996 |
Airbase | Stratton Air National Guard Base, Scotia, New York |
Planned replacement | LC-130J |
First LC-130Js delivered | Approx. 2030 |
On his website, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that “I’ve fought to bring new ski-birds to Schenectady County. (… ) It took a lot of work, but this nearly $200 million investment to begin recapitalizing the aging LC-130H aircraft will ensure America maintains its leadership in the polar theaters.”
Wing Commander Steven Slosek told Stars and Stripes by phone in January that Lockheed Martin will deliver a C-130J and then upgrade it to an LC-130J equipped with skis. He added that the Air National Guard expects the new aircraft to roll off the production line in around three years and then will require another year to convert. He added it will be a “big upgrade.”
Lockheed & SNC Are Working To Replace The LC-130H
As of September 2026, there doesn’t appear to be any announcements from Lockheed Martin about replacing the legacy LC-130Hs. In February 2026, it posted a video of one taking off from an ice runway with the caption “Snow, ice, extreme cold? No problem. The LC‑130 Skibird is the only ski-equipped U.S. military aircraft built to deliver personnel and supplies where others can’t. Defying extremes. Completing the mission.” 2026 government documents say that
“The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Special Operations Forces/Personnel Recovery C-130 Division AFLCMC/WIU conducted market research to identify qualified sources to design, develop, and evaluate a new LC-130J Military Design Series to replace the aging LC-130H aircraft.”
The document says that it covers the testing of post-production modifications, including the addition of ski capabilities, thermal protections, and structural reinforcement to convert the newly produced C-130J into the LC-130J. It also says that the LC-130J will be a digital model and replace the LC-130H analog model. It adds that it intends to award two contracts for the program, one to Lockheed Martin and the other to Sierra Nevada Corporation for “unique support activities for the LC-130J Polar Modernization.”
Super Hercules Need Skis To Fully Replace LC-130Hs
It is understood that the new LC-130Js will not require the external rocket pods that the LC-130Hs are equipped with. The modernized Super Hercules is powered by four Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop engines, with improved six-bladed Dowty R391 composite scimitar propellers which increase efficiency and thrust.
The extra power allows Super Hercules to have roughly a 40% shorter takeoff distance and 21–29% more thrust, depending on the legacy Hercules being compared. The Super Hercules is better understood in some respects as a new airlifter that happens to be based on the old ‘bones’ of the legacy Hercules. It is able to operate in more conditions, although without skis, it still can’t completely fill the role of the LC-130H.
The limitations of the wheeled C-130J Super Hercules were also on display during 2026’s Operation Epic Fury against Iran. After the F-15E Strike Eagle was downed over Iran, the US dispatched a rescue party centered on a pair of MC-130J Commando IIs (based on the Super Hercules). They landed at an austere forward airstrip, but then their wheels were reported to have sunk in the mud. Unable to retrieve them in time, the Air Force destroyed them in place to prevent capture.
Dispersal Beyond The Arctic
While the ability of standard wheeled Super Hercules to operate in more unfavorable Arctic conditions is in the news, the implications go beyond the Arctic. The Air Force has also reported that it has operated C-130Js of the 37th Airlift Squadron from a Swedish highway. US Air Force Captain Ty Millsap, the 86th Airlift Wing’s Chief of Weapons and Tactics, said that “instead of being able to focus on just one air base, we now have a plethora of places where we can land and operate out of projected distances.”
This is a cornerstone of the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment doctrine and is particularly relevant in the Asia-Pacific as the US prepares to confront China. The Air Force understands that its forward airbases, like Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, have become vulnerable, and it is now racing to upgrade and rehabilitate airstrips on islands across the region.
It is possible that, in the event of a conflict, even these strips will become cratered, forcing Super Hercules to land on grass, sand, or other austere conditions. Depending on how such a conflict unfolds, this could also spread to Alaska. Alaska is one of the most important places for power projection into the Pacific, and it can’t be ruled out that its sprawling Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Eielson Air Force Base will be targeted.
Catch what other trackers miss
Emergency squawks, holds, NOTAMs — live signals, no signup.
Open tracker
Catch what other trackers miss
Emergency squawks, holds, NOTAMs — live signals, no signup.
Open tracker
