The US Coast Guard has taken delivery of its 18th HC-130J aircraft at L3Harris Integrated Mission Systems in Waco, Texas.
Designated CGNR 2018, the long-range surveillance platform was converted from a baseline C-130J by L3Harris, integrating the Minotaur Mission Systems Suite (MSS+), along with USCG-specific multi-mode radar, sensors, and communications.
The aircraft will be operated by USCG Air Station Sacramento, California, supporting the unit’s transition from the C-27J to the HC-130J fleet. It is the fourth mission-ready HC-130J delivered two months ahead of schedule, following the delivery of the 17th aircraft in January 2025.
HC-130Js are currently in service with USCG air stations in Elizabeth City (North Carolina), Kodiak (Alaska), and Barbers Point (Hawaii).
The USCG plans to induct a total of 25 HC-130J aircraft to strengthen border security and maritime domain awareness, support commercial traffic, and enable rapid crisis response. The aircraft cruises at 320 knots, has a range of 4,900 nautical miles, and can remain airborne for over 20 hours.
L3Harris’ open-architecture MSS+ allows real-time collection, processing, and sharing of surveillance data with other operational units, replacing older, platform-specific sensor systems that limited interoperability.
