Singapore will phase out its four older Lockheed Martin C-130B tactical transport aircraft in favour of newer second-hand C-130H aircraft. This will possibly delay the introduction of a next-generation airlifter by about a decade.
The acquisition and ongoing delivery of the aircraft was confirmed by Major General Kelvin Fan, Singapore’s Chief of Air Force, in a written media interview on the sidelines of the Singapore Airshow 2026, which Asian Military Review attended.
“After thorough evaluations, we’ve determined that the C-130 remains the best platform to meet our operational needs for the next 15 to 20 years,” Fan stated.
He continued: “The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is therefore acquiring used, but still well-maintained, C-130H aircraft to replace our ageing C-130Bs. Deliveries have begun, and these aircraft will be repurposed to meet the RSAF’s requirements.”
Over recent weeks, three C-130H aircraft bearing US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) registrations have arrived in Singapore’s Paya Lebar Air Base. Checks online indicate that these belong to the US company Blue Aerospace. A fourth C-130H, also under FAA registration, is believed to be slated for transfer in the near future.
The four C-130H aircraft were taken into ownership by Blue Aerospace upon their retirement from the Spanish Air Force in December 2020, and subsequently stored at a regional airport in Spain.
The batch includes a KC-130H fitted with refuelling pods, as well as a C-130H-30 stretched variant offering greater cargo capacity. These were transferred to Singapore in late January as the second and third aircraft, respectively. Notably, this will be the first time Singapore has operated the “-30” variant.
The RSAF currently operates ten C-130s, comprising four C-130Bs and six C-130Hs. While the “H” models are new-build aircraft purchased in the 1980s, the C-130Bs were transferred second-hand from the USA and Jordan starting in 1977; this means they are now around 60 years old.
The C-130Hs are regularly tasked with supporting Singapore Armed Forces overseas training activities, as well as conducting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions across the region. The older C-130Bs, by contrast, have been relegated to local training flights.
The RSAF’s C-130B/H fleet underwent a comprehensive modernisation programme by local company ST Engineering between 2007 and 2014, improving their avionics, auxiliary and self-protection systems. It remains unclear whether the four newly acquired C-130Hs – which received avionics upgrades, including a glass cockpit, in the 1990s – will be upgraded to the same standard.
It is also unknown whether a further life extension programme will be implemented across the C-130H fleet to keep the aircraft operationally effective for another ten years or more.
For at least a decade, numerous companies have been eying a potential RSAF tactical transport recapitalisation programme. Notably, Airbus, Embraer and Lockheed Martin have been offering the A400M, C-390 and C-130J respectively.
The latest development is now expected to delay selection of the RSAF’s next-generation airlifter until at least the middle of the next decade.
by Roy Cho
