US Air Force funds ski kit for C-130J Hercules
The US Air Force has awarded Sierra Nevada Corporation a $31.8 million contract to design a modification kit to equip a C-130J with skis, aiming to create
The US Air Force has awarded Sierra Nevada Corporation $31,789,335 to design a kit for converting a standard C-130J into a ski-equipped LC-130J. According to a contract notice from September 2, 2026, this non-recurring engineering work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by March 27, 2028.
This development moves the service closer to fielding a modern successor to its aging fleet of ski-equipped Hercules transports. The new LC-130J would be designed for operations in polar regions, particularly Antarctica.
The existing LC-130H Antarctic mission
The current ski-fitted fleet consists of LC-130H aircraft operated solely by the New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing. The National Guard Bureau calls the LC-130H the world's largest aircraft capable of landing on snow and ice using skis.
The wing recently concluded its 38th Operation Deep Freeze season in March 2026. During that season, it based three LC-130H aircraft at Antarctica's McMurdo Station, with a fourth in Christchurch, New Zealand.
The unit's missions are substantial in scale. In the cited season, it conducted 63 flights to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and 17 to the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide.
| Mission Type | Number of Flights | Passengers Carried | Cargo Transported | Fuel Transported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Pole Station | 63 | 1,086 total | 2.6 million lbs (1,179 tonnes) | 1 million lbs (454 tonnes) |
| West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide | 17 | (Part of total above) | (Part of total above) | (Part of total above) |
This airlift supports National Science Foundation research. Partner nations sometimes assist; a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130J performed a winter medical evacuation from McMurdo in August 2025.
Political push for a new LC-130J
US lawmakers have actively funded the transition to a new model. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced on February 4, 2026, that the fiscal 2026 defense bill contained $194 million for developing and procuring an LC-130J. This was in addition to $29 million for non-recurring engineering secured in the prior year's budget.
In their release, the senators stated that only four of the ten existing LC-130H aircraft are mission-capable at any time. They noted that most of the current fleet was built in the 1970s.
Global context for polar airlift
While the US works on a dedicated ski-plane, other air forces are testing different methods for polar access. In March 2026, a French Air and Space Force A400M Atlas transport aircraft landed on Arctic sea ice in northern Greenland. This demonstration explored the use of conventional landing gear on prepared snow and ice surfaces.
Sierra Nevada Corporation, the contractor for the C-130J ski kit, is also the prime contractor for the Survivable Airborne Operations Center. That program aims to replace the E-4B Nightwatch fleet with a modified Boeing 747-8.
