C-130 News

C-130 Hercules News

53rd WRS news

C-130 News Archive

53rd WRS reflects on 2019 hurricane season
USAF WC-130J #99-5309 from the 53rd WRS, aka Hurricane Hunters, taxis its way to its parking spot after completing its mission into Hurricane Dorian on September 5, 2019 at Keesler AFB. In conjunction with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hurricane Hunters, have flown 51 missions and approximately 500 flight hours in support of Dorian. [USAF photo by TSgt. Christopher Carranza]
Dec 03, 2019 - Andrea, Barry, Dorian, Fernand, Humberto, Jerry, Karen, Lorena, Nestor and Olga. At first glance one may think this is a list of popular baby names for the year, but in fact, they’re the names of 10 storms the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew into during this year’s hurricane season. [Read more...]
Hunters fly Hurricanes Florence, Olivia
USAF WC-130J #96-5302 from 53 WRS departed Keesler AFB on Sept. 9, 2018, to operate out of Savannah Hilton Head IAP. The Reserve Citizen Airmen will start flying reconnaissance missions into Hurricane Florence September 10, 2018. The Hurricane Hunters also started flying missions into Hurricane Olivia out of the Kalaeloa Airport, Hawaii, Sept. 8, 2018. [USAF photo by Lt. Col. Marnee A.C. Losurdo]
Sep 09, 2018 - The Air Force Reserve's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron is flying missions into Hurricane Florence over the Atlantic Ocean and Hurricane Olivia over the Pacific Ocean this week. [Read more...]
incorrect site
Flying Jennies support hurricane relief efforts
An 815th AS C-130J aircraft flies over the Mississippi Gulfcoast during a four-aircraft training mission on September 11, 2016. The aircraft took off from Keesler AFB, and airdropped simulated cargo and heavy equipment over Stennis International Airport, Mississippi. [USAF photo by TSgt. Ryan Labadens]
Sep 29, 2017 - The U.S. Air Force Reserve's 815th Airlift Squadron spent the last week supporting relief efforts to Caribbean Islands devastated by Hurricanes Maria and Irma this month. [Read more...]
Earth Wind and Fire: Reservists own the skies
A modified U.S. C-130 aircraft, assigned to the 910th AW, sprays water simulating a pesticide solution during a field exercise as part of the DoD Aerial Spray Certification Course, January 13, 2016. The 910th Airlift Wing has been tasked with providing its unique aerial spray capability to assist with recovery efforts in eastern Texas, following the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. [USAF photo by MSgt. Bob Barko Jr.]
Sep 11, 2017 - For the first time in the nearly 70-year history of the Air Force Reserve, all three special mission units have been called to action simultaneously due to a series of catastrophic events that have affected wide swaths of the U.S. [Read more...]
AFRC Hurricane Hunters to fly first tropical systems of season
The AFRC's 53rd WRS WC-130J #97-5306 "Hurricane Hunters" depart Keesler AFB, Mississippi, May 31, 2017, to take part in the USN's Gulf of Mexico Oceanography Unmanned Systems Operational Demonstration. The squadron collected weather data for the U.S. Navy May 30 to June 2, 2017, as part of the event. [USAF photo by Maj. Marnee A.C. Losurdo]
Jun 19, 2017 - The Air Force Reserve’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron is tasked to fly two tropical systems in the Gulf of Mexico today, one east of the Lesser Antilles and another south of the Yucatan. [Read more...]
Hurricane Hunters fly into, collect data on Hurricane Hermine
The pilot of a WC-130J Weatherbird aircraft assigned to the 53rd WRS looks out the cockpit window during a flight into Hurricane Hermine on September 1, 2016. Hurricane Hermine was a Category 1 hurricane that was the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida since 2005 before proceeding up the east coast of the United States. [USAF photo by SrA Heather Heiney]
Sep 02, 2016 - The Air Force Reserve’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew a fix mission September 1st out of Keesler Air Force Base into Tropical Storm Hermine, which was upgraded to a hurricane mid-flight. [Read more...]
AFRC celebrates 100 years of Reserve Air Power with C-130 special mission demo
Thom Patterson, CNN videographer (left), uses a camera to capture footage of 53d WRS “Hurricane Hunter” pilots inside the cockpit of a C-130 Hercules during a flight over Maryland on June 28, 2016. As part of the 100th anniversary of air power in the U.S. military, members of the media were invited to fly with the Hurricane Hunters and learn about their weather surveillance mission. With ten deployable C-130s, the unit has the only routine aerial weather reconnaissance mission in the world. [USAF photo by SSgt. Kat Justen]
Jun 29, 2016 - They’ve been among us for a century now. They look like any other American citizen, blending with the crowd, living normal lives and working normal jobs. [Read more...]
Hurricane Hunters to fly into Tropical Storm Erika from Homestead ARB
USAF WC-130J #99-5309 from 53 WRS sits on the flightline at Homestead ARB on August 27. 2015. Members of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron out of Keesler AFB, came to Homestead ARB to gather data on hurricane behaviors by observing Hurricane Erika as it makes its way across the Caribbean. [USAF photo by SSgt. Jaimi Upthegrove]
Aug 27, 2015 - The U.S. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters are operating out of Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, flying WC-130J Hurricane Hunters into Tropical Storm Erika in support of the National Hurricane Center in Miami. [Read more...]
403rd Wing surges C-130s in major exercise
The 403rd Wing's C-130J and WC-130J aircraft fly in formation during a Operation Surge Capacity on April, 5, 2014. Aircraft from the 815th and 345th AS's and 53rd WRS participated in Operation Surge Capacity, a large scale training exercise designed to test the 403rd Wing's ability to launch and recover a large formation of aircraft and to execute airdrops. [USAF photo by SrA Nicholas Monteleone]
Apr 07, 2014 - Sixteen aircraft from the 403rd Wing took to the skies over the Mississippi Gulf Coast region April 5 in Operation Surge Capacity, a large-ship formation training exercise. [Read more...]
More News: