Additional Hercules for Romanian Air Force

On Tuesday 14 December 2021, USAF (ex MT ANG) C-130H Hercules serial 74-2132 (c/n 382-4722) arrived at Bucharest/Baneasa International Airport.

Upon arrival the transporter was transferred to the Romanian Company Romaero SA. The company is responsible for the maintenance and the painting in Forțele Aeriene ale României (FAR, Romanian Air Force) of the aircraft.

The Hercules was transferred free of charge from USAF stocks and is the result of a process carried out in recent years under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme through the US Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) in Bucharest, Romania.

The ODC has been in close contact with the FAR as well as with the C-130 Programme Coordination Office in the United States. The newly delivered aircraft will be the sixth Hercules for the air force. In 1996 the FAR received their first C-130B, followed by another three C-130Bs a year later. In 2007 the first C-130H was delivered. All the transporters are operated by Escadrila 901 Aviatie Transport Strategic / Baza 90 Aviatie de Transport Gheorghe Banciulescu at Bucuresti/Henri Coanda.

The future serial of the aircraft is not known at this moment. Looking at the serials of the other C-130s, it will most probably be 7432.

Photo by Bogdan Movileanu