Michael Moors, copyright ‘Belgian Defence’
On 17 December 2021, the official farewell flight of the Belgian Lockheed C-130 Hercules took place and after 50 years of loyal service, the C-130s were replaced by the Airbus A400M. For this formal farewell, a formation flight of 2 or 3 Belgian C-130s plus Italian, Polish and American C-130s was planned to fly over all Belgian provinces. Due to very heavy fog at Melsbroek Air Base (ICAO code: EBMB) that day, only a formation flight of one C-130 and one A400m could be arranged in the afternoon. During this flight, the C-130 and the A400M changed places for photo sessions by photographers on the open ramp of both aircraft. After landing, the Melsbroek Fire Department gave the C-130 a ‘water shower’ as a last farewell. When all engines were shutdown, a group photo could be made of the remaining C-130 crews and mechanics. Later that night a big party was held on the base. In their 50 years of service in Belgium, around 150,000 tons of cargo was transported, around 285,000 flying hours were logged in around 199,500 landings. After the formal flight on 17 December, some local navigational flights were flown on the 20th and 21st. On the 22nd, the remaining aircraft were flown to Charleroi airport (ICAO code: EBCI), where their future is uncertain. Some sources say these aircraft will be sold as forest fire fighters (‘water bombers’), some sources say these aircraft will be scrapped.
The A400 has replaced the C-130s
July 1972 by the 20th Tactical Transport Squadron of the 15th Transport Wing at Melsbroek AB . The last one (CH-12) was received in May 1973. Two aircraft were lost, one to a hangar fire and one by a crash; both C-130s were replaced later. Here is a short and incomplete overview of the many international missions flown by the Belgian C-130s. Soon after receiving the first aircraft, in May 1973 a humanitarian support mission was launched in Africa ‘SOS SAHEL’. More humanitarian relief missions were flown in Africa throughout the years. Also, civil repatriation missions in Africa were flown in 1978, 1991 and 1993 (NEO, Non-combatant Evacuation Operation). During the first Gulf War in 1991, transport missions were flown, to support the Belgian Mirage detachment in Jordan and for humanitarian assistance for the Kurds in Iraq and Iran. From 2003 until 2021, transport missions were flown to support ISAF (International Security and Assistance Force) in Afghanistan. In August 2021, NEO mission ‘Red Kite’ was launched to evacuate civilians from Kabul airport in Afghanistan. Three C-130s flew an airbridge between Kabul (Afghanistan) and Islamabad (Pakistan)
Text and photos (except where mentioned): Joris van Boven and Alex van Noye