The United States Air Force's combat aircraft like the B-52 and F-35 often get all the glory, but a fact remains that the U.S. military relies on aircraft like the Lockheed C-130 Hercules more than most people probably realize. Since it first entered service nearly 70 years ago, the turboprop military transport aircraft is able to deliver personnel and equipment around the globe.

Moreover, it is capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landing, while the versatile airframe has been further employed in numerous roles including gunship (ACT-130), for airborne assault, search and rescue, scientific research support, weather reconnaissance, aerial refueling, maritime patrol, and even aerial firefighting.

Lockheed Martin announced that it had delivered the first of eight C-130J-30 Super Hercules – which added 15 feet to the fuselage, increasing usable space (two more pallets of equipment) in the cargo compartment – tactical airlifters to the Georgia Air National Guard's 165th Airlift Wing during a ceremony on Monday, commemorating a new era in Hercules operations for this longtime C-130 Hercules operator.

The U.S. Air Force C-130J-30 aircraft were also the first to receive the Block 8.1 configuration during its initial production. The new Block 8.1 configuration improves interoperability across the fleet with features such as a new flight management system, enhanced navigation and inter-communication systems, and updated friend-or-foe identification.

"Today's delivery of this C-130J-30 Super Hercules is another symbol of Lockheed Martin's long-term commitment to the Hercules' home state. On behalf of our 6,000+ Georgia employees, it is an honor to deliver this Georgia-built, Georgia-flown aircraft to Savannah's 165th Airlift Wing," said Rod McLean, vice president and general manager for Lockheed Martin's Air Mobility & Maritime Missions line of business and its Marietta production site. "The addition of the C-130J Super Hercules, the most advanced Hercules ever produced, to the Georgia Air National Guard's fleet enables its crews deliver hope and help all over the world for many years to come."

The Unstoppable C-130

As previously reported, the C-130 has no retirement plans, and the cargo prop is expected to fly for decades to come. The C-130 has proven itself time and time again, in different roles, through multiple conflicts, operating in the armed forces of 60 nations.

The original C-130 debuted in 1954, while Dwight D. Eisenhower was in office. Using four props, the aircraft was designed to be versatile and rugged.

It has been steadily improved, and as noted C-130J-30 Super Hercules is actually 15 feet longer – which can now carry eight pallets or 97 litters or 24 CDS bundles, or 128 combat troops or 92 paratroopers, or a combination of any of these up to the cargo compartment capacity or maximum allowable weight.

The aircraft has a ceiling of 26,000 feet (8,000 meters), and can reach a top speed of 410 mph (Mach 0.58) at 22,000 feet (6,706 meters). With a cargo of up to 44,000 pounds (19,958 kilograms), the aircraft has has a range of 2,417 miles (2,100 nautical miles).

While the mythical Hercules was already all but unstoppable, it would be safe to say that the U.S. military couldn't run without the Super Hercules.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

This article has been updated since publication.