The Royal Australian Air Force has demonstrated the utility of the recent integration of the AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening targeting pod and Ka-Band Satellite Communications (SATCOM) capability with its C-130J Hercules transports, by conducting an airborne assessment of flood damage in western NSW.

The area affected by recent and ongoing flooding is well known to the crews of 37SQN, who operate the C-130J into various country airstrips in the region such as Gilgandra and Lake Cargelligo as part of their training.

As part of an enhanced air mobility demonstration in mid-November, a C-130J equipped with a Litening pod, SATCOM, and an augmented crew station conducted a training mission based on a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) scenario Brewarrina.

The aircraft then performed an actual flood damage assessment mission over the spilling Wyangala Dam and nearby Forbes, and was able to transmit live footage and imagery to JTF629 Operation Flood Assist leadership in Canberra in real-time.

The Litening pods were acquired as part of Phase 2.4 of the Project AIR 5376 Hornet upgrade program, and have now become available to the C-130J with the drawdown and recent retirement of the RAAF’s F/A-18A/B classic Hornet fleet.