California state officials are preparing for wildfire season by acquiring and retrofitting seven C-130s. President Joe Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act that authorized the transfer of the seven Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules aircraft from the U.S. Coast Guard to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
According to Cal Fire, once the transfer of ownership is completed, 4,000-gallon internal tanks capable of holding fire retardant will be installed on the aircraft. Cal Fire expects to have the aircraft on the line and in use by fall.
The aircraft will be stationed at Cal Fire bases in Chico, Fresno, Paso Robles, Ramona, and Sacramento.
About the C-130
The Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport. Originally designed to be a troop carrier, it entered service in 1956. One of the more versatile aircraft in the military arsenal, it has also been used for medevac, cargo transport, gunship, search and rescue, patrol, weather reconnaissance, and aerial firefighting missions.
There are more than 40 variants of the Hercules and they are operated around the world. The civilian designation is the Lockheed L-100. To date, the C-130 is still in production.
Not the First Military Fire Bomber
There is a long tradition of military aircraft being retrofitted to fight fires in the Golden State. After World War II, Boeing B-17s that were last in the production run and never saw combat were converted into fire bombers, also known as “Borate Bombers.” They were in service until replaced by newer aircraft in the 1980s.
