A4K
Brigadier General
That's a great shot, and interesting if true (...?)
First, it's actually one C-130H (top rear), and three C-130J-30s.
Never seen a Herc with two tanks under each wing, so checked the net. Apparently the KC-130J does, the two inners carrying fuel as usual, and two outers for carrying drogue and tow cable equipment for in-flight refuelling.
The aircraft are definitely kiwis (AFAIK), as they have the FLIR in the nose and GPS pod top centre. AC-130Js, which also have the nose FLIR, have the GPS pod off to starboard (- not to mention the extra FLIR forward of the port u/c, and bloody big guns sticking out the side
) So it's not them.I could find no reference to us fitting the outer external tanks however. According to the net, they are offered in the initial C-130J package, but not many operators have opted to use them, including the RNZAF.
That being the case, assuming everything I read is correct, either the RNZAF fitted them as a PR exercise, or it's an AI photo.
