US Coast Guard takes delivery of 18th HC-130J search and rescue aircraft from L3Harris.

On February 4, 2026, the United States Coast Guard confirmed completion of final delivery activities for its 18th fully missionized HC-130J long-range surveillance aircraft.

On February 4, 2026, the U.S. Coast Guard took delivery of its 18th fully missionized HC-130J search and rescue aircraft, designated CGNR 2018, following completion of missionization work by L3Harris in Texas. The long-range surveillance aircraft supports fleet standardization, replacement of legacy HC-130H aircraft, and the planned transition of additional air stations to HC-130J operations.
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The HC-130J has progressively replaced older HC-130P and HC-130N aircraft in Air Force service and HC-130H aircraft in Coast Guard service, enabling both services to standardize their fleets around a common airframe. (Picture source: US Coast Guard)

Specifically, the United States Coast Guard confirmed the completion of final delivery activities for its 18th fully missionized HC-130J long-range surveillance aircraft. The aircraft, designated CGNR 2018, was handed over following missionization work carried out at L3Harris Integrated Mission Systems in Waco, Texas. This delivery forms part of the Coast Guard’s ongoing fixed-wing recapitalization effort aimed at replacing legacy HC-130H aircraft. The newly delivered HC-130J is intended to support expanding operational coverage and fleet standardization. It is also directly linked to the planned transition of Air Station Sacramento, California, from the HC-27J Spartan to the HC-130J. The delivery was completed earlier than initially scheduled, enabling earlier operational integration and training activities.

The Coast Guard stated that CGNR 2018 will support the expansion of HC-130J operations beyond the three air stations currently operating the type, which are Elizabeth City in North Carolina, Kodiak in Alaska, and Barbers Point in Hawaii. The addition of CGNR 2018 marks a concrete step toward expanding HC-130J operations to two additional air stations, with Sacramento identified as the first of these new operating locations, with the transition scheduled to begin later in 2026. The aircraft is fully missionized and incorporates the Minotaur-based Mission System Suite Plus, Coast Guard-specific multi-mode radar, sensor packages, and communications systems. Additional enhancements include updated approach and landing systems, expanded diagnostics, and civil GPS integration, all introduced under Block Upgrade 8.1. According to the Coast Guard, these upgrades are intended to improve interoperability and operational availability across the fleet. The aircraft will be used for long-range surveillance, on-scene command and control, and information sharing with surface and air assets.

The delivery of CGNR 2018 is supported by funding allocated under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, through which the Coast Guard received $1.142 billion for the procurement and acquisition of fixed-wing aircraft. Including this funding, appropriations now cover a total of 25 HC-130J aircraft, one full-flight simulator, an initial spare parts inventory, and site activation for two additional air stations. The Coast Guard described the HC-130J as a key asset for border security, maritime domain awareness, and contingency response, citing its cruise speed, range, and endurance. With 18 aircraft now delivered, the HC-130J fleet continues to transition from incremental introduction toward broader operational use. Further deliveries are expected to continue as missionization and basing plans progress.

The HC-130 lineage originates from the broader C-130 Hercules family developed by Lockheed in the late 1950s, with the HC prefix designating aircraft optimized for long-range search and rescue and later combat search and rescue roles. The United States Coast Guard was the first service to operate HC-130 variants, initially fielding early models in the early 1960s to extend overwater patrol, search and rescue coverage, and command and control beyond the reach of shorter-range aircraft. Over time, the HC-130 evolved through several iterations, including the HC-130E and HC-130H, integrating additional fuel capacity, improved sensors, and mission-specific equipment to support maritime patrol, ice patrol, and law enforcement tasks.

In parallel, the U.S. Air Force adapted the HC-130 for personnel recovery and combat search and rescue, adding helicopter air-to-air refueling and specialized communications. The shift toward the HC-130J in the 2000s marked a generational transition, replacing aging legacy airframes with newly built aircraft based on the C-130J Super Hercules, incorporating modern avionics, propulsion, and mission systems while preserving the extended-range and endurance characteristics that defined the HC-130 role. The HC-130J exists in two main service configurations, one operated by the United States Coast Guard and the other by the United States Air Force, namely the HC-130J and the HC-130J Combat King II.

The Coast Guard HC-130J Super Hercules is configured primarily for long-range maritime surveillance, search and rescue, and command and control missions, without helicopter air-to-air refueling capability, and is derived from the baseline C-130J airframe with extensive post-production missionization. In contrast, the Air Force fields the HC-130J Combat King II, which is optimized for personnel recovery missions in permissive and contested environments and includes underwing refueling pods, internal auxiliary fuel tanks, and the ability to refuel helicopters and tilt-rotor aircraft in flight while also being capable of receiving fuel from boom-equipped tankers. Both variants benefit from common C-130J improvements such as reduced crew requirements, digital flight controls, and enhanced reliability, but diverge significantly in mission equipment and operational doctrine.

The HC-130J has progressively replaced older HC-130P and HC-130N aircraft in Air Force service and HC-130H aircraft in Coast Guard service, enabling both services to standardize their fleets around a common airframe while tailoring mission systems to their respective needs. As a derivative of the C-130J Super Hercules, the HC-130J is powered by four Rolls-Royce AE2100D3 turboprop engines driving six-bladed composite propellers, providing higher cruise speed, improved fuel efficiency, and better high-altitude performance compared with earlier C-130 variants. Typical cruise speed is about 320 knots, while range extends to roughly 4,900 nautical miles depending on configuration and payload, with endurance exceeding 20 hours for long-duration surveillance or on-scene command roles.

The aircraft features an all-glass cockpit with digital avionics, reduced aircrew workload, and compatibility with night vision systems, enabling sustained operations in low-visibility and night conditions. Structurally, the HC-130J retains the rear cargo ramp and large internal volume characteristic of the Hercules family, allowing it to carry rescue equipment, pallets, personnel, or auxiliary fuel tanks while also supporting airdrop operations. These performance characteristics make the HC-130J suitable for wide-area maritime patrol, extended search patterns, and prolonged command-and-control missions far from shore or forward bases. The Mission System Suite Plus, commonly referred to as MSS+, represents the core missionization element that differentiates the HC-130J from a standard transport-configured C-130J.

Integrated by L3Harris on behalf of the Coast Guard, the MSS+ is built around the Minotaur mission architecture and combines multi-mode surface search radar, electro-optical and infrared sensors, mission management software, and secure communications into a single, networked system. Also installed on the HC-144 Ocean Sentry and the HC-27J Spartan, this suite enables the aircraft to detect, track, classify, and identify contacts over vast maritime areas and to share that information in near real time with cutters, aircraft, and shore-based command centers. The MSS+ also supports the HC-130J’s role as an on-scene command and control aircraft, allowing crews to coordinate search and rescue operations, law enforcement actions, or contingency responses while maintaining a common operating picture. Incremental upgrades, including enhanced navigation aids, diagnostics, and civil GPS integration, have been incorporated through block upgrades, ensuring that the mission system remains interoperable with other U.S. Coast Guard aircraft.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.