This document discusses the transportability of future combat vehicles by C-130 aircraft. It provides details on maximum payload capacities for different mission profiles, dimensional limits for vehicles, safety requirements, and the impact of less than ideal operating conditions. It also notes that combat vehicles often increase in weight after initial design, so the maximum allowable weight should account for anticipated growth.

1. C-130 Transportability of the
Future Combat System
Joseph F. Cassidy
cassidyj@tea-emh1.army.mil
(757) 599-1630
DSN 826-4643
24 April 2002

2. C-130 Operational Payload/Range
• 0 pounds (ferry mission) - ~ 2,800 nm
• 38,000 pounds (IAV) - ~ 1,000 nm
• 40,000 pounds (FCS ceiling) - ~ 780 nm
• 42,000 pounds - ~ 260 nm*
• 45,000 pounds - ~ 0 nm*
Conditions for above payloads/ranges:
– 5,000-foot long, 80-foot wide improved runway, standard
day at sea level, no corrections for wind, rain, and runway
slope. (6,000 feet)
– Fuel MUST be available at the landing field.
– Payloads/ranges shown are almost ideal.
* Updated information from draft revised MTMCTEA C-130 White Paper.

3. Assault Landings
C-130 Maximum Peacetime Assault Landing Weight
86,500 + 7,000 + 36,500 = 130,000 pounds*
Aircraft Fuel Must Be Available At The Destination Airfield
• The 7,000 pounds (1,045 gal.) of fuel is required in case the
aircraft needs to divert to another airfield to land.
• Requires runway length of at least 3,000 feet and width of
at least 60 feet. (4,500 feet)
* Waivers are rare. Requires Major AF Dir of Opns approval.

4. Dimensional Limitations
• Published in USAF MIL-HDBK-1791, Designing for
Internal Aerial Delivery in Fixed Wing Aircraft.
• Equipment Design Envelope Also requires
- Width above rails - 107 inches Safety aisles!
- Height - 102 inches
- Length - 480 inches
- Allows six-inch clearance between
equipment and aircraft structure.
• Air Force has certified up to 105
inches high in special cases.
105”
C-130 Design Envelope

5. Dimensional Limitations
• Actual width between rails - 105 inches.
• Tracked vehicle maximum practical width at floor -
100 inches (96 inches to enhance safety
and expedite loading).
• Wheeled vehicle maximum practical width at floor –
100 inches (includes tire bulge) (96 inches to
enhance safety and expedite loading).

6. Crew Safety Aisles
MIL-HDBK-1791: Safety aisle must be large enough for a man
wearing a parachute.
36 max
• Vehicles that don’t meet one of these safety aisles may require a test
loading of the actual vehicle or a vehicle mockup to measure fit and aircraft
evacuation time before the Air Force may grant C-130 air certification.
• Access through/under the vehicle is not acceptable as a safety aisle.

7. Passenger Safety Aisle
• Required by Air Force Instruction 11-2C-130, Vol 3,
Addenda A, Flying Operations, C-130 Operations
Configuration/Mission Planning.
• Army vehicle crew members would be considered
passengers.
• If passenger safety aisle is not
met, vehicle crew members
will have to fly on another
aircraft. 14-Inch Passenger
Safety Aisle
C-130 Passenger Safety Aisle

8. Passenger Safety Aisle
• Air Force typically symmetrically loads aircraft.
• Can asymmetrically load if necessary to get safety aisle.
• Symmetric loading with a 14-inch safety aisle limits
overall vehicle width to 91 inches.
• Asymmetric loading with a 14-inch safety aisle on the
left and the required six-inch clearance on the right
(and required right rail clearance at the floor)
limits overall vehicle width to 99 inches (96 inches
at the floor for both wheeled and tracked vehicles).
119”
Actual Width
107”
Vehicle Design Width
99”
Width With Passengers
96”
Width At Floor

9. Vehicle Design Limits
(Assuming Ideal Conditions)
• A C-130 carrying a 29,000- to 32,000-pound vehicle can
make an assault landing and recover 100 to 250 nautical
miles to another airfield to refuel.
• An unarmored C-130 carrying a 36,500-pound vehicle
can make an assault landing if there is fuel at the airfield.
• Maximum width should be 99 inches to allow passengers
to accompany their vehicles.
• Maximum height should be 102 inches for air transport
(90 inches for airdrop).
Note: The vehicle, on-vehicle equipment, vehicle armor, full crew,
crew gear, ammunition, and ¾ fuel should be capable of being
transported by one C-130.

10. C-130 Aircraft Armor
• Armor protects flight station, LOX bottles, and loadmaster
stations.
• Weighs 1,569 pounds
• Counts as aircraft payload.
• Used when C-130 operating in hostile areas and following
are threats.
• Small arms
• Rocket propelled grenades
• Man portable air defense systems

11. Less Than Ideal Operating Conditions
• All range/payload numbers until now have assumed almost ideal
operating conditions.
• Ideal conditions rarely exist.
• Airfield altitude, temperature, weather, and so forth can adversely
affect range/payload.
• Airfield elevation of 4,000 feet reduces 38,000-pound payload’s
range from 1,000 nm to 800 nm.
• Temperature of 113 degrees F reduces 38,000-pound payload’s
range from 1,000 nm to 800 nm.
• Combined effects of high elevation and high temperature more than
just additive.
• TEA has asked AMC to quantify and will present in revised paper.

12. Combat Vehicle Weight Growth
• Designing to the maximum capability of the aircraft can
be risky because combat vehicles historically have
increased in weight from 12% to 68% after initial
design.
• Weight during the design phase should take this probable
weight growth into consideration.

13. Combat Vehicle Weight Growth
Model Initial Weight Current Weight % Growth
M60 w/o applique 101,000 113,200 12%
M60 with applique 101,000 123,729 23%
M113 22,140 27,180 23%
M1 108,000 137,780 28%
M2/M3 w/o tiles 44,817 67,000 50%
HMMWV Armt Car 7,700 12,100 57%
M2/M3 with tiles 44,817 75,419 68%
All weights are combat loaded weights.

14. Combat Vehicle Max Weight?
FCS Maximum Weight: 40,000 lbs
IAV Maximum Weight: 38,000 lbs
Maximum Assault Landing Payload: 36,500 lbs
Divert 100 nm After Assault Landing: 32,000 lbs
Divert 250 nm After Assault Landing: 29,000 lbs
Aircraft Armor Installed: 27,500 lbs
25 Percent Weight Growth: 22,000 lbs
High – Hot Scenario Required: ? lbs
If you take BG Mixon at face value,
then we need to be able to go with an
empty vehicle weight of 20,000 to