However, the fleet has aged with some current models being flown by aircrew younger than the aircraft they are flying. As the fleet ages, management issues arise with reduced reliability, obsolescence and reduced parts availability, and changing aviation rules that impact availability of airspace due to obsolete avionics capabilities. Over the past 57 years, several models of the C-130 were built and delivered to the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, with the C-130J model being the most recent. The FY2013 National Defense Authorization Act provided guidance on recapitalizing a portion of the C-130 fleet, but a significant number of aircraft may still need to be replaced, modernized or retired to maintain the desired capabilities. Recapitalizing refers to replacing older model aircraft with new production aircraft. As Congress shapes the tactical airlift fleet of the future, there may also be decisions regarding force structure or infrastructure that may impact C-130 basing. In his most recent overarching guidance to the Department of Defense, President Obama outlined several guiding principles of force and program development to ensure mission success:
maintain a broad portfolio of military capabilities that, in the aggregate, offer versatility across the range of missions; differentiate between those investments that should be made today and those that can be deferred; maintain a ready and capable force, even as we reduce our overall capacity; reduce the "cost of doing business;" examine the mix of Active Component (AC) and Reserve Component (RC) elements best suited to the strategy; and make every effort in adjusting U.S. strategy and attendant force size to maintain both an adequate industrial base and investment in science and technology. An issue for Congress is whether these levels should be authorized. A significant issue in the current C-130 fleet is age of the C-130H models. The goal of this approach is to reduce total life cycle costs by leveraging existing modernization programs and proven technology. A major modification currently being accomplished on the C-130 fleet to extend the service life is the replacement of the center wing box, a critical fatigue component of the C-130 fleet due to the stresses of flying missions over such a long period of time. Since then, over 200 aircraft have been delivered to the U.S. Government. A major consideration when adjusting the fleet size or mix is the resultant Active, Guard, and Reserve mix. Air Force Basing

C-130 basing has been a contentious issue. The issue for Congress is how to provide oversight and appropriations for this aging fleet and maintain the desired capabilities into the future. Continue to Recapitalize the C-130 Fleet at the Current Level

The ability to rapidly deploy and sustain military capabilities throughout the world in support of U.S. national interests will likely be a key aspect of U.S. strategy well into the future. With a significant portion of this fleet in the Reserve Component there are considerable interests at state with adjusting force structure. (a) AUTHORITY FOR MULTI-YEAR PROCUREMENT.-Subject to section 2306b of title 10, United States Code, The Secretary of the Air Force may enter into one or more Multi-year contracts, beginning with the fiscal year 2014 program year, for the procurement of C-130J aircraft for the Department of the Air Force and the Department of the Navy. (h) TACTICAL AIRLIFT FLEET OF THE AIR FORCE.-
(1) CONSIDERATION OF UPGRADES OF CERTAIN AIRCRAFT IN RECAPITALIZATION OF FLEET.-The Secretary of the Air Force shall consider, as part of the recapitalization of the tactical airlift fleet of the Air Force, upgrades to C-130H aircraft designed to help such aircraft meet the fuel efficiency goals of the Department of the Air Force and retention of such aircraft, as so upgraded, in the tactical airlift fleet.
The United States primary tactical airlift aircraft is the C-130. Nicknamed the Hercules, this venerable aircraft has been the workhorse of U.S. tactical airlift for the past 57 years. The majority of C-130s in the U.S. government are assigned to the U.S. Air Force, but the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard also operate sizeable C-130 fleets. The potential concerns for Congress include oversight of and appropriations for an aging C-130 fleet.
As the C-130 fleet ages, management issues arise with reduced reliability, obsolescence and reduced parts availability, and changing aviation rules that impact the C-130's ability to operate worldwide. The C-130 program recently passed a major milestone; the FY2013 NDAA authorized the Secretary of the Air Force to enter into one or more multi-year contracts for the procurement of C-130J aircraft for the Department of the Air Force and the Department of the Navy. This was a significant step toward recapitalizing a portion of the fleet. As Congress decides the future of the tactical airlift fleet, a significant decision is whether or not to continue recapitalizing the fleet with new aircraft. This issue is fueled by several factors, including aircraft life cycles, cost, basing strategy, strategic guidance, the industrial base, and the desired capabilities mix. With these factors in mind, the services have committed to recapitalize a large portion of the C-130 fleet. However, at current production rates, there will still be aircraft in the fleet much older than the crews that fly them well into the future.
A common strategy to extend the life of an aircraft fleet is to modernize the current airframes with new components. This strategy attempts to combat issues that plague an aging fleet such as diminishing reliability, antiquated avionics, and capabilities that no longer meet current requirements. The cost of modernization is commonly the driving factor behind these efforts. Analyzing the return on investment of modernizing components on aging aircraft versus recapitalizing the fleet to gain new capabilities will inform these decisions. Congress is currently faced with deciding the future of several modernization efforts being considered for the C-130 fleet.
Circumstances that arise due to the changing nature of the global environment may drive decisions by Congress to reduce the size of the fleet by divesting some aircraft. With the current drawdown of U.S. military forces, perhaps the desired future capability can be met with fewer aircraft. Divesting aircraft from a fleet involves a detailed analysis of the capabilities that remain in the desired end-state fleet. Ideally, the required capabilities to meet strategic guidance still reside within the system as a whole when aircraft are retired. The mix of Active and Reserve forces that remain after drawing down a fleet may also be a significant concern. This mix of Active, Guard, and Reserve forces may also lead to decisions regarding force structure. Adjustments to force structure within the Guard and Reserve have been a contentious issue in the past and will require congressional oversight and approval.