Project MC-130J Amphibious Capability: transport "Hercules" on floats
The US Air Force is launching another project to modernize the old and well-deserved military transport aircraft C-130 Hercules. This time it is proposed to turn it into an amphibian, expanding its take-off and landing and operational capabilities. The project is being developed in the interests of special forces, and it is planned to be completed within the next few years.
New attempt
In the past, there have been repeated attempts to create an amphibious version of the C-130. Some projects of this kind provided for the creation of a new fuselage-boat, while others proposed a set of large floats. For various reasons, such developments did not progress beyond preliminary tests on models. As a result, by the end of the nineties, the amphibious direction of modernization of the "Hercules" faded away.
A new attempt to create such a version of the transport was announced in May this year. New details were revealed a few days ago. It is known that the initiator of the new project was the United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). In cooperation with a number of military and private organizations, it plans to explore the possibility of creating an amphibious aircraft at a modern technological level.
The project will be developed in the interests of special forces, and therefore a special transport aircraft MC-130J is taken as the basis for the future amphibian. Its new modification is designated MC-130J Amphibious Capability or MAC.
The reasons for launching a project are quite simple. AFSOC representatives recalled that 70% of the planet is covered by waters, and in the current strategies of the Pentagon, more and more attention is paid to the work of special forces and other structures in the coastal zone and on various islands. C-130 aircraft are capable of operating in different conditions and even land on the deck of an aircraft carrier, but they cannot operate from the water.
Accordingly, for a new expansion of the operational capabilities of various structures and units, an amphibious transport is needed. The MAC aircraft will be able to ensure the delivery of fighters and cargo to almost anywhere in the world, incl. to any area of the World Ocean. In addition, such vehicles will reduce the dependence of military transport aviation from land airfields - and will increase its stability in war conditions.
Real measures
According to the latest reports, work on MAC has already begun, with several government and commercial organizations involved. The program is divided into five main phases, from preliminary studies to the construction and testing of a prototype aircraft with new capabilities. They plan to spend 17 months on all these activities. This means that the MAC prototype can be launched in the first months of 2023.
The approximate appearance of the future aircraft has already been determined. In May, a computer image of an MC-130J aircraft was shown on large floats. AFSOC has recently released a few more images of the aircraft - they show it in different conditions and operations, and add new details.
The project provides for the development of a float landing gear and some other units mounted on an aircraft. At the same time, serious processing of the transporter is not planned - only compatibility with floats is required. Due to this, in the future, it is planned to modify not only the special MC-130J, but also some of the "ordinary" C-130s.
Several measures are proposed to accelerate research and development. Thus, the experience and developments of Lockheed Martin, which previously designed a fuselage boat and a set of floats, will be used. They also use the most modern design and research technologies. In addition, the project will dispense with the overhaul of the aircraft, which will speed up and simplify development and follow-up.
Technical issues
Judging by the published materials, AFSOC and other project participants have abandoned the idea of a fuselage-boat and are using a simpler solution - a removable float landing gear. Two variants of such a design have been proposed and shown, each with its own characteristics.
The first version of the amphibian is the MC-130J without a standard wheeled chassis. At the same time, struts and trusses emerge from the landing gear niches, with the help of which a pair of floats are attached to the fuselage. The latter have a traditional shape with a streamlined nose and a step in the center of the bottom. The dimensions of the floats are determined by the large mass of the aircraft: their length reaches two-thirds of the total length of the aircraft. For movement on land, on the bow of the float and behind the step, stands with wheels, possibly removable, are placed.
The second variant of the float landing gear differs in the way it is installed under the fuselage. It lacks a bow truss, and the entire weight of the aircraft is distributed through attachments in place of the main landing gear. In addition, fairings are used between the fuselage and the floats. In front of the floats there are small platforms with folding elements that complement the standard ladders.
It is not known what form the float chassis will acquire based on the results of future design work. It will probably be very similar to the concepts presented now, each of which has its own pros and cons. Fundamental innovations should not be expected due to the objective limitations of the environment and the specificity of amphibious aircraft.
Not only benefits
AFSOC assumes that the MAC project has great potential and is of interest to both special forces and the Air Force as a whole. Therefore, high hopes are pinned on him, and the Command plans to make every effort to make them come true.
However, it is already clear that the Hercules modernization project is facing serious limitations and will have certain drawbacks. Some of these issues can probably be resolved at the stage of development or refinement, but other problems are fundamentally unavoidable.
Obviously, floats capable of withstanding the C-130's weight and the resulting loads will not be light. The weight of such a landing gear can reach several tons, which will lead to a significant reduction in the aircraft's payload. AFSOC and aircraft builders will have to determine how large these losses will be, and to what level they can be reduced. At the same time, the problem of the mass can put an end to the entire project.
The floats are also large and should seriously degrade the aerodynamics of the amphibious transport. Due to the new landing gear, the total area of the outer surfaces of the aircraft will significantly increase and, as a result, the air resistance created. This will negatively affect speed, economy and range. In addition, the control of the aircraft will become more difficult, because large floats will create a constant dive moment.
Finally, a serious retraining of the flight and technical personnel will be required, corresponding to the new state of technology and the features of future operation. However, against the background of probable technical difficulties, this does not look like a big problem.
Ambiguous future
The US Air Force is once again planning to convert the old and well-deserved C-130 Hercules into an amphibious aircraft with more operational capabilities. It is proposed to use the accumulated experience and modern technologies, due to which the MAC project will be able to at least reach the assembly and testing of a prototype. And if successful, the most serious changes in army logistics are possible.
However, the results of the MC-130J Amphibious Capability project are not yet obvious. With all its advantages, the proposed concept has a number of inherent disadvantages that can impair performance or lead to unacceptable risks. Also, be aware of previous failed projects. Their failure was not always due to the lack of technology of our time.
In the next year and a half, it will become known whether the MAC project has coped with the task. In addition, the modernization potential of the C-130 Hercules aircraft will once again be demonstrated. For 65 years of his service, he went through a number of upgrades and received a lot of new functions and specialties. And now, despite its considerable age, the aircraft will receive fundamentally new ones - or it will show that even its capabilities are not limitless.
- Ryabov Kirill
- US AFSOC
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