37SQN C-130J ~ 21 years of service.

The 37SQN C-130J-30 has, this month September 2020, provided 21 years of service to the Australian Government and the ADF.

Notable events over the last 12 months include:

  • 37SQN hosting 4 x MC-130J from Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa, Japan at Richmond for inter unit exercise.

© Jonathan Ferne

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  • November 2019 ~ 20th Anniversary of the squadron’s C-130J operations.

© 37SQN(RAAF)Association

© Phil Browne

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  • Joint Precision Aerial Delivery System (JPADS) trials to airdrop loads up to 1800 kilograms into a drop zone the size of a cricket oval.

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  • 37SQN being ‘Foremost’ in advertising the 2019 Bathurst 1000 12-13 October.

© Defence Imagery

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Edinburgh Air Show ~ 9-10 November 2019.

    • Static display C-130J-30 A97-440 was tasked supporting the ‘Black Summer’ firefighting response, returning to Edinburgh Saturday evening for static display on the Sunday.

© Col Coyne

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  • 37SQN C-130J-30 was one of the international Hercules crews at Andersen AFB, Guam participating in Operation Christmas Drop 2019, the world’s longest running humanitarian airdrop mission, delivering Xmas cheer to Palau, Federated States of Micronesia and Northern Mariana Islands.

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  • Former 37SQN PilotFLTLT Brendan Carraro:

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  • Flight trials have begun for a Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules transport aircraft fitted with a Northrop Grumman Litening sensor pod.

© Image Photoshopped by Col Coyne

In January 2020, flight trials began for an Air Force C-130J Hercules transportaircraft equipped with a Northrop Grumman AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening sensor pod.

© Defence Imagery

A Litening sensor pod on the wing of a No. 37 Squadron C-130J Hercules aircraft at RAAF Base Richmond.  In January 2020, flight trials began for an Air Force C-130J Hercules transport aircraft equipped with a Northrop Grumman AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening sensor pod. Equipped with day/night and infrared cameras, the Litening pod could significantly increase situational awareness for Hercules crews in a range of missions, including search and rescue, and damage assessment during disaster relief operations. Using the aircraft’s satellite communications suite, the Litening pod could also be used to stream video across the globe. Flight trials will determine how the Litening pod’s installation affects the Hercules’ performance, and how effective it is as a sensor for the crew.

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  • 37SQN C-130J-30 lands at Wilkins Airfield, Antarctica replicating the C-130H and C-130E flights in 1989. As per the photo below, the C-130E A97-190 landed with a dislodged UHF Antenna cable

© Dave Cutland

  • C-130E A97-190 on the ice at McMurdo base, December 1989. Continuing the tradition, a No. 37 Squadron C-130J Hercules, A97-442, flew from Hobart Airport 1,800 nautical miles across the Southern Ocean to the ice runway at Wilkins Aerodrome on 29 February 2020.

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  • Middle East Area of Operation (MEAO) ~ 37SQN C-130Js were equipped with EWSP kits and have been on deployment rotation since 2005.

© Defence Imagery

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  • C-130J Hercules maintenance team in the Middle East recently achieved the milestone of the 50th rotation.

The Air Mobility Task Element is responsible for delivering cargo and personnel to support our operations throughout the Middle East. The C-130J is the workhorse that makes it possible.

There are around 1200 Australian personnel serving on operations in the Middle East, contributing to Operations Accordion, Highroad, Okra, and Manitou.

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  • 37 Squadron C-130J, A97-448 Jericho Demonstrator, has once again displayed the versatility of onboard satellite communications (SATCOM) links when a remotely controlled uninhabited aerial system (UAS) was piloted from the cargo compartment of the aircraft.

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  • July 2020, commemorates 77 years since the unit formation in 1943.

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  • C-130J Hercules have delivered three aircraft loads full of urgently needed humanitarian supplies to Beirut to help the people of Lebanon recover from the devastating impacts of the explosion disaster. Our hearts go out to all those impacted.© DFAT

These supplies include mobile warehouses to help replace storage facilities destroyed in the blast, and shelter kits and tools to help address urgent needs for the 300,000 people left homeless.

© DFAT

C-130J crew members with Aust High Commission staff.

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And, finally, due to the COVID~19 situation the squadron was unable to celebrate 20 years since the decommissioning of the C-130E model which served the Australian Government and the ADF for 34 years, attaining a total of 307,007.9 accident free flying hours.

A function had been planned for the date of the final C-130E flight, 14 November, to commemorate the transit of A97-160 to the RAAF Museum at Point Cook in Victoria, function cancelled do to the COVID~19 restrictions.

© Martin Edwards© 37SQN(RAAF)Association

A97-160 at Pt Cook, coating over the airframe to reduce corrosion.

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