The US Air Force Just Asked Its Standard C-130J To Do The Ski-Equipped LC-130's Job In Iceland

In July–August, the U.S. Air Force tested its upgraded Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules in Iceland during Exercise Northern Viking 2026, using grassy fields and even a beach for takeoffs and landings. The goal was to show the standard-wheeled Super Hercules can operate in austere environments that might otherwise have called for ski-equipped LC-130s. However, the Air Force says the C-130J still can’t fly on snow and ice like the LC-130. The tests come as the service plans to start funding a new-generation ski-equipped Super Hercules to replace the LC-130H by the end of the decade.