EAST GRANBY, Conn. –
The Connecticut National Guard’s 103rd Airlift Wing received its first NP2000 retrofitted C-130H Hercules aircraft at Bradley Air National Guard Base in East Granby, Conn. Oct. 25, 2024.
The NP2000 is an eight-prop engine that will provide the aircraft with better fuel efficiency, reduced propeller maintenance time, better thrust during take-off, and reduces about 20 decibels of airframe noise and vibration.
This upgrade will help the 103rd’s C-130 fleet increase readiness and diversify its flying mission both here in American and when called up to deploy overseas. With individually detachable props, engine maintenance time and costs are expected to be cut by 50% and the increased thrust will allow the aircraft to take off from shorter, unimproved runways that are common in austere operational environments.
The retrofit is about more than just added features and better economic and environmental considerations. The C-130 is a proven aircraft that was first introduced in December 1956. Since then, the aircraft has seen combat in every major military conflict the United States has participated in and conducted countless humanitarian missions around the globe. Due to its age and operational tempo, the legacy four-bladed prop engines have worn down, resulting in a fleet-wide grounding in 2022.
The 103rd Airlift Wing has a total of eight C-130H aircraft in its fleet and is expected to retrofit them all with the NP2000 engine moving forward until the unit’s brand-new C-130J Super Hercules aircraft are delivered. The C-130J includes the latest avionics, a longer expected life span, better fuel efficiency and performance, increased cargo capacity, and better logistical support and will allow the 103rd to continue its flying mission for decades to come.
The NP2000 is manufactured by Collins Aerospace in Windsor Locks, Connecticut—right on the other side of Bradley International Airport, where Bradley Air National Guard Base is located. Wing leadership is hoping this close proximity to the manufacturer will open unique opportunities for the Wing to build relationships that will maximize the lifespan of these engines and the C-130’s serviceability to the state and nation.