TP 84 Lockheed Hercules

Photo by Bernt Törnell

The Swedish air force now operates eight Herculeses. The first, a C-130E, was purchased in 1965 and is now the oldest operating Hercules in Europe, it was soon followed by another and later by six C-130Hs, the last in 1981.

All are now updated to C-130H standard, designation is TP 84.

Photo by Niklas Knutzén

They've now been fitted with countermeasures dispensers, missile approach warners and other aids. They've also got cockpit armour.

Midlife update

The fleet will be updated in the 2006-2010 time period to allow it to remain in service at least until 2025.

SWEFRAP C-130

Photo by Bernt Törnell

The Swedish air force has two units for international missions, Swedish Air Force Rapid Reaction Unit C-130 and AJS 37.

The C-130 unit will consist of four Herculeses, eight flight crews and ground staff. It's intended to be operational by 2001.

Even before this unit existed the Swedish Herculeses have been used for lots of international missions during its service in the Swedish air force.

Air refuelling

As the number of airbases have been decreased and also looking at international missions, it's been decided that JAS 39 Gripens of batch 3 standard will have equipment for air refuelling.

This means a need for three TP 84 Herculeses fitted for tanking. One will be equipped for trials with two off the shelf underwing pods by 2002. No extra tankage will be installed and the aircraft will be available for transport missions too.

New colour scheme

When new, the Herculeses were marked in the standard way, with wing numeral and a code in the normal sequence for "other types" and painted olive green and light blue grey.

Later on, tranports were to have individual three figure codes, consisting of the designation + a figure. For Herculeses, designated TP 84 that became 84X (for types with designations >99 it's 0XX).

Current scheme is all over support aircraft green and smaller black numerals.

Starting with the first in 1999 and finishing with the last in 2003, all eight will be painted a two tone grey scheme, consisting of Camouflage Grey, with insignias (710 mm diameter), numerals (600 mm high on the fuselage, 630 mm on the fin) and text (Times New Roman) in Dark Sea Grey. The flag is 800x500 mm.

Photos by Bernt Törnell [1,3] Niklas Knutzén [2] and me [4,5,6]

Document last updated 2000 July 13 by Urban Fredriksson