In a significant development for its C-130H Hercules fleet, the U.S. Air Force has decided to suspend the upgrade program that aimed to equip the aircraft with the modern NP2000 composite propeller system. The integration of this system would have provided improvements in thrust, fuel efficiency, and maintenance requirements. The decision reportedly stems from a desire to redirect funds toward the procurement of new C-130J models, amounting to approximately $24 million originally allocated for the upgrade project.
Further details were revealed in a recent budget reallocation document issued by the Pentagon and published on September 29. A passage from the document states: “Funds are available for transfer to the Defense Modernization Account, Defense-Wide, from a congressional increase for the C-130H NP2000 Eight Bladed Propeller due to the completion of the modification effort for the fleet. Efficiencies in quantity were achieved due to additional C-130J procurement, which reduced the number of C-130H NP2000 Eight Bladed Propeller modifications required as remaining unmodified C-130Hs will be divested.”
According to the most recent Air Force budget request, the service had already installed the NP2000 composite propeller system on about 90 C-130H aircraft by June 2025, though it remains unclear whether additional units have been upgraded since then. Originally, plans from 2021 called for the modernization of 140 aircraft in total to extend their service life, as the H-model fleet has been in operation since the 1970s.
In addition to these aircraft, the Air Force also upgraded its 10 LC-130H variants, which feature special configurations for polar operations. Outside the Air Force, the U.S. Navy likewise incorporated the NP2000 propeller system on its C-130T transport and KC-130T tanker aircraft—both derived from the H model. The Navy was already familiar with the system, as it had been installed on its E-2C and E-2D Hawkeye early warning aircraft and its C-2 Greyhounds.
For context, the now-suspended upgrade program was first conceived in the 2010s, alongside an avionics modernization effort for the C-130H. At the time, it was claimed that the new propeller system would deliver up to 20% more thrust, allowing the aircraft to operate from runways up to 300 meters shorter under ideal conditions, while also reducing fuel consumption. Contractor Collins Aerospace noted that the NP2000 system reduced vibration compared to the original propellers, resulting in quieter operations and lower maintenance needs.
Looking ahead, the Air Force will focus on acquiring the more advanced C-130J models, which come equipped with AE-2100 turboprop engines manufactured by Rolls-Royce and six-bladed propellers. According to defense analysts, the service will gradually retire its remaining C-130H aircraft, with projections indicating that by 2029, the fleet will have been reduced to around 61 units.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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