Coast Guard C130J
This isn’t your father’s C-130.
Below is an announcement of a contract by the Acquisitions Directorate (CG-9).
Just take a moment to consider that the Coast Guard is spending an additional $24.5M on each brand new C-130J to increase their capability. These are not ASW aircraft, but they are serious maritime patrol aircraft with state of the art capability for maritime domain awareness.
Their unique capabilities need to be included in planning for any future major naval conflict.
Coast Guard awards contract for C-130J missionization
July 20, 2022 —
The Coast Guard awarded a contract to L-3 Communications Integrated Systems LP (L3Harris) July 12 for the missionization of up to six C-130J Super Hercules long range surveillance aircraft.
The firm fixed price contract is for the production, installation and delivery of the Minotaur Mission System Suite and a Block 8.1 upgrade for the 17th and 18th C-130J aircraft in the fleet. The contract also includes options for missionization of aircraft 19-22, which will have the Block 8.1 upgrade installed during baseline production at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. Potential total value of the contract is $147 million.
Work will be completed at L3Harris’ Waco, Texas, facility. Minotaur incorporates sensors, radar and command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment necessary to carry out Coast Guard missions and offers significant increases in processing speed and memory capacity.
The Block 8.1 upgrade adds new and advanced capabilities, including enhanced inter-communication system, enhanced approach and landing systems, expanded diagnostics, civil GPS and additional covert lighting.
The HC-130J carries out many Coast Guard missions, including search and rescue, drug and migrant interdiction, cargo and personnel transport and maritime stewardship. The aircraft is capable of serving as an on-scene command and control platform or as a surveillance platform with the means to detect, classify and identify objects and share that information with operational forces.
For more information: HC-130J Long Range Surveillance Aircraft Program page
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
Coast Guard takes delivery of 17th mission-ready HC-130J surveillance aircraft > United States Coast Guard > Latest Acquisition News
Jan. 23, 2025 —
The Coast Guard accepted delivery of its 17th fully missionized HC-130J long range surveillance aircraft, CGNR 2017, on Dec. 18, 2024.
The aircraft was delivered to the Coast Guard in its baseline configuration in August 2023. The aircraft in November 2023 was inducted into the missionization process at L3Harris in Waco, Texas. Missionization includes integrating Minotaur mission system software as well as Coast Guard-specific integrated radar, sensors and communication systems. Additional capabilities including enhanced approach and landing systems, expanded diagnostics and civil GPS, some of which are required by the Federal Aviation Administration to access airspace and airports, were integrated as part of a Block Upgrade 8.1 installation.
The aircraft is currently stationed at Air Station Elizabeth City in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Air Stations Elizabeth City, Kodiak, Alaska, and Barbers Point, Hawaii, are outfitted with HC-130Js. Two additional C-130Js are currently under production at Lockheed Martin in Marietta, Georgia.
The service’s Super Hercules aircraft carry out many Coast Guard missions, including search and rescue, drug and migrant interdiction, cargo and personnel transport, and maritime stewardship, as well as providing critical support to Department of Homeland Security partners. The aircraft also can serve as a command and control or surveillance platform capable of identifying and classifying objects and sharing that information with operational forces.
For more information: HC-130J Long Range Surveillance Aircraft Program page and Minotaur Mission System page.