In September 2025, 37 Squadron's C-130J Hercules fleet surpassed 170,000 flying hours, marking a significant milestone in the squadron's history of delivering tactical airlift capability to the Australian Defence Force and beyond.
Introduced in 1999, the C-130J brought enhanced range, payload and avionics to the fleet. With its ability to operate from unsurfaced airfields and deliver precision airlift in complex environments, the C‑130J has become a cornerstone of Defence capability.
37 Squadron pilot Flight Lieutenant David Campbell spoke about the significance of flying the aircraft's 170,000th hour.
"It was great to see that the milestone ticked over during a sortie very typical of C-130J operations - a resupply mission to Port Moresby in support of [Exercise] Olgeta Warrior," Flight Lieutenant Campbell said.
"It was a good opportunity to reflect on not just the flying hour milestone, but the immense contribution behind the scenes by our maintenance, logistics and operations personnel to keep the aircraft flying all these years, which would be many multiples of the flying hour total."
From tactical resupply and airborne operations to aeromedical evacuation and humanitarian relief, the aircraft has proven its versatility across thousands of missions, consolidating its role as the backbone of Australia's tactical airlift capability from its home at RAAF Base Richmond.
The fleet is expected to remain in service into the 2030s, when it will be replaced with a new fleet of C-130s under Project AIR 7404, ensuring Australia maintains a robust tactical airlift capability.
The squadron is also celebrating the cumulative 870,000 flying hours flown by 36 Squadron and 37 Squadron across the C-130 variants.
Commanding Officer 37 Squadron Wing Commander Dianne Bell emphasised how important the milestones were to the squadron.
"These significant milestones create an opportunity to stop and reflect on what the C-130 capability has safely delivered both domestically and globally over decades, and what it needs to be prepared for in the future," Wing Commander Bell said.
Notable operations, exercises and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts:
- Middle East operations, including: Slipper, Bastille, Falconer, Catalyst, Highroad, Okra, Accordion.
- Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, including: 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Queensland floods, Cyclone Yasi, 2019-20 bushfires, 2022 Tongan volcanic eruption.
- Operation COVID-19 Assist.
- Continued support for exercises, including: Pitch Black, Talisman Sabre, Indo-Pacific Endeavour, Cope North.
