USAF continues Hercules propeller upgrade
C-130H Hercules transport aircraft. (Photo: Collins Aerospace)
Collins Aerospace obtains another order to provide NP2000 propellers for C-130H aircraft.
The USAF has chosen Collins Aerospace to deliver NP2000 propeller systems for 26 additional Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules aircraft operated by the US Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.
The USAF plans to retrofit approximately 140 C-130H with NP2000 and has now ordered propeller upgrades for 83 C-130H aircraft, Collins noted in a 21 September announcement.
The value of the latest order and its completion date were undisclosed.
Collins has installed the NP2000 on 16 USAF C-130Hs to date, including aircraft for the Georgia, Nevada and Wyoming Air National Guard.
NP2000 features eight composite blades and a digital Electronic Propeller Control System (EPCS). It delivers a 20% thrust increase during take-off, a 50% reduction in maintenance time and a 20db sound reduction in the cockpit compared to legacy propeller systems, Collins claimed.
The NP2000 is also in service on Northrop Grumman E-2 and C-2 aircraft and it has accumulated more than 1 million flight hours since entering service in 2004.
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