Retirement of US's 24 C-130H and Opportunity for Vietnam

18 Februari 2020

C130H of the USAF (photo : Aria Kanzaki)

The US military has just decided to retire 24 C-130H transport aircraft between now and 2021 and this may be an opportunity for Vietnam to once again own this type of aircraft, this is in the air force.

According to the latest information, the US will retire more than 100 aircraft of all types from now to 2021. One of the aircraft will be retired is the C-130H engine transport of this force.

US media said at least 24 C-130 H transport aircraft would be retired during this period.

These are all transports on the assigned of the US National Guard Air Force. Most of the aircraft planned for retirement include the C-130Hs born in the early 1990s.

This will be a great opportunity for countries around the world to buy and own this type of C-130 aircraft on its duty.

Vietnam is also not out of that opportunity. We even had Lockheed Martin bring C-130 to the defense exhibition in Hanoi to offer.

Unlike other modern fighter types, the C-130H is just a transport plane - meaning not too much influence on the precedent for selling non-lethal weapons to the US.

C130 of the VNAF (photo : Pham Quang Khiem)

Equipping the C-130H transport aircraft on the duty will also be of great help to the Vietnam Air Force in the context that we have a serious shortage of mechanical transport. 

Currently, the Vietnam Air Force only uses four mechanical transports including the medium-engine transport types purchased from Spain and Indonesia.

Meanwhile, our entire An-26 transport fleet has been retired in the past, unable to continue using it due to the flight deadline.

In the past, Vietnam also confiscated as spoils of many C-130 transport aircraft after the war - meaning we also have experience in operating and using this type of equipment.

In the past, C-130 transport aircraft were used by us for a variety of tasks, from transporting people to transporting goods. 

C-130 mechanical transport carrying body number 004 of the Vietnam People's Air Force in the past.

However, up to now, all these pack of horses have been retired by us because they are out of service age, replacement parts are no longer available.

C-130 is also one of the largest mechanical transport types that the Vietnam Air Force has ever used in its payroll.

(KienThuc)