Royal New Zealand Air Force

[RegR]

Now that the first C-130-J-30 has been delivered to Whenuapai, we can see that they're fitted with SATCOM, a FLIR turret and extended range wing-mounted 'drop' tanks.
Will the drop tanks give them enough range to do Christchurch -> McMurdo -> Oh bother it's socked in -> Christchurch (or even just Invercargill), or whether they'll still have to make a go/no go decision at a PNR an hour or two out from McMurdo?

Sure I read somewhere the added tanks give a J another 4 hours worth of flight time and that the flight to the big A takes 7 hours (in a H with tanks). Being faster I guess the flight PNR will now move further south but still not sure if it can do a full trip down and back in one go? Maybe just more decision making time if anything.

 

[Rob c]

Will the drop tanks give them enough range to do Christchurch -

Sorry to be a bit pedantic, but the tanks are external tanks, not drop tanks, they are bolted to the wing. If they are the same tanks as fitted to the H, which they look like. they will provide an additional amount of fuel in excess of 3200 US gallons between them.