FARNBOROUGH, U.K. - Lockheed Martin introduced the LM-100J "FireHerc," a civil-certified firefighting airtanker variant of the company's C-130J Super Hercules military transport, at the 2018 Farnborough Air Show. The LM-100J is flying at and on static display at the show this year.
Older versions of the C-130 Hercules family have a long history of service as firefighting aircraft. Lockheed Martin says that the latest version of the transport, powered by four Rolls-Royce AE 2100 turboprop engines, offers advantages in the fire-fighting role.
First, it has an advanced flight deck avionics that provide outstanding situational awareness for pilots. Second, it also has the ability to support two different retardant dispersion solutions: the gravity-drop based Coulson Aviation RADS Product Line or the pressure-type dispersal Modular Aerial Firefighting System II (MAFFS II). Both have been certified by the U.S. Forest Service on the Hercules platform to meet strict ground coverage standards. Lockheed Martin is also on the path to support night firefighting, allowing responders to combat fires on an unprecedented 24/7 cycle.