After conducting an evaluation process that lasted several months, the Taiwanese Air Force has decided to move forward with the purchase of up to 10 new C-130J aircraft from the U.S, instead of modernizing its older Hercules airlifters, which have served in the force for more than 40 years. According to what the service has reported, the decision was driven by the high costs associated with the upgrade work, which would make it more cost-effective to acquire new-build aircraft and continue operating the current fleet while the transition is completed.
It is worth recalling that the island operates a fleet of 19 C-130H aircraft out of the 20 originally acquired in the 1980s, following the loss of one airframe in 1997; in addition, Taiwan’s Air Force also fields a modified C-130HE. For this number of aircraft, the service had planned to implement the program known as “Taiwushan No. 3,” aimed at improving the cockpit interface, integrating new search-and-rescue capabilities, and adding new GPS and collision-avoidance systems, among other elements.
Given the ambition of the program, it also had to account for structural work on some airframes requiring reinforcement due to wear, along with software updates needed to integrate the new equipment without major issues. For the military leadership, however, the final bill for these upgrades was deemed too expensive to pursue compared with the option of purchasing new aircraft directly from the United States. This does not mean the older aircraft will be discarded entirely; rather, they are expected to be limited to routine transport tasks going forward, while the C-130Js would be assigned to more demanding operations.
Although the project has now been canceled, it is useful to note that, according to information previously published in Taiwan’s Electronic Public Procurement System, the country planned to invest more than NT$10 billion for this purpose. Under the original timelines, the corresponding contract was supposed to be awarded in January 2025—something that ultimately did not occur.
Finally, briefly reviewing some of the differences between the two C-130 variants that Taiwan’s Air Force will operate, the C-130J features a fully digitalized cockpit and new engines with improved performance—an upgrade that, according to local analysts, represents a significant qualitative leap. From a logistical standpoint, the newer model also offers better fuel efficiency even while delivering greater thrust, translating into increased range for the platform.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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