A Pair of United States Marine Corps (USMC) Lockheed KC-130J Hercules Aircraft Make a Late Night Visit to Rockhampton Airport

Interesting to note that late on Friday 4 August, a pair of United States Marine Corps (USMC) Lockheed KC-130J Hercules transport aircraft called into Rockhampton Airport together, flying in as "Sumo 65" from Darwin.

USMC Herc 168074 departs Rocky last year during a visit  (File photo)

The Hercs were believed to be 168074 (Tail Code QD-8074) and 169227 (Tail Code QD-9227) which are both of the Marine Aerial Refueller Transport Squadron 152 (VMGR-152) "Sumos".

After unloading some cargo, they both departed Rocky back to Darwin, again flying together as "Sumo 65".

It is believed that the USMC Hercules aircraft are being used in an aerial refuelling role in support of a short exercise that is being conducted in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) which is involving USMC Bell Boeing MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) AV-8B Harrier II 'jump jet' aircraft deployed on board the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the US Navy.

Photo taken by Scott Harris  ©