Romania to receive free C-130H Hercules transport plane from US on 14 October
The Romanian Air Force is due to take over a C-130H Hercules transferred at no cost from US surplus stocks, at a ceremony at Otopeni Base 90 starting at 10:00 on 14 October. The ministry says the aircraft is the eighth of its type to reach Romania through the Excess Defense Articles programme.
Ceremony at Otopeni
The Romanian Ministry of National Defence (MApN) has announced that a C-130H Hercules transport aircraft will be handed over to the Romanian Air Force on Wednesday, 14 October, at 10:00 at Baza 90 Transport Aerian Otopeni. The United States government is transferring the aircraft free of charge under the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) programme, which passes surplus US military equipment to partner states. Radu Miruță, whom Stirile ProTV describes as interim defence minister, is due to attend, along with US Ambassador to Romania Darryl Nirenberg. The ministry made the announcement on Tuesday, 13 October. According to the ministry, the aircraft is the eighth of this type to enter the Romanian Army's inventory through the EDA programme.
Where the aircraft fits in the fleet
HotNews reports that the Romanian Air Force currently operates eight C-130 Hercules aircraft, one of which has been withdrawn from service and stored. Four are C-130B models. The original fleet held five of these, but one was withdrawn and used for spare parts. The other four are C-130H models, and the last two of them were received free of charge in 2023. One H model is kept in storage. The fifth C-130H entered service on 14 February 2007. Alongside the C27J Spartan, the Hercules has been the main means of supporting Romanian troops in operational theatres and in disaster relief, according to the same report.
- C-130B
- 4 aircraft
- C-130H
- 4 aircraft
- First C-130B lands in Romania
- First flight by a fully Romanian crew
- First Romanian Hercules lands in Afghanistan
- Fifth C-130H enters Air Force service
- Handover ceremony of the eighth EDA C-130H at Otopeni Base 90
Strategic partnership and the EDA programme
The ministry says Romania has drawn on the EDA programme since 1996, when C-130B models were integrated into the transport fleet of the Romanian Air Force. Ziare notes that the two countries concluded their Strategic Partnership in 1997. HotNews dates the first C-130B landing in Romania to 25 October 1996 and the first flight by a fully Romanian crew to 18 March 1997. The first Romanian Hercules landed in Afghanistan on 28 January 2002. The ministry frames the handover as a demonstration of the partnership's results.
The event highlights almost 30 years of Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States, demonstrating its concrete results in the field of defence.
What the C-130H is used for
The ministry describes the C-130H as a versatile and reliable transport aircraft that can carry out air transport, medical evacuation, humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions. HotNews reports that Romanian Hercules aircraft have taken part in exercises across Europe, including in Bulgaria, Czechia, France, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, Norway, Portugal and Poland. They have also flown domestic and international humanitarian missions to China, Indonesia, Libya, Montenegro, Afghanistan and Turkey. Ziare adds that the aircraft can be used to transport people who need medical care or to respond to areas hit by calamities.
