The Royal Netherlands Air Force took delivery of its first of two modernised ex-US Navy Lockheed Martin C-130H tactical transports at Eindhoven air base on 2 March.

Returned to service by Marshall Aerospace of the UK and now equipped with a glass cockpit, aircraft G-988 will undergo operational test and evaluation for the next three months, before being declared fully operational.

Handed over after a lengthy programme delay, the Hercules will soon be followed by aircraft G-781.

 C-130H RNLAF - Anno Gravemaker
© Anno Gravemaker

The pair will expand the air force's current air transport fleet, which includes two stretched-fuselage C-130H-30s, in use since 1994. These are also to be converted to the new configuration.

See video of aircraft G-988 on the Dutch air force website

Source: Flight International