New Hercules for Romanian Air Force
On Friday 15 September 2023, USAF C-130H-2 Hercules serial 91-9142 (c/n 382-5295) arrived at Bucharest/Baneasa International Airport prior to handover to the Forțele Aeriene ale României (FAR, Romanian Air Force).
From 17 till 29 September 2023 the US Mobile Training Team conducted training with the Romanian crew, to familiarise them with the new equipment on board. The future serial of the new transporter might become 9142.
The C-130H-2 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. A second C-130H-2 is expected to be delivered before the end of this year.
Currently the FAR has four C-130B and two C-130H transporters in its inventory. However, three of them are reported stored. The previous delivery of a C-130H to Romania was on 14 December 2021, when USAF 74-2132 (FAR serial 7432) arrived at Bucharest.
All Romanian Hercules' are operated by Escadrila 901 Aviatie Transport Strategic / Baza 90 Aviatie de Transport Gheorghe Banciulescu at Bucuresti/Henri Coanda.
Credit photo: Romanian Air Force