What is the range of the C-130 Hercules?

• A. 2,100 nautical miles
• B. 1,500 nautical miles
• C. 3,000 nautical miles
• D. 2,500 nautical miles

Answer: (A)

The range is the distance the aircraft can fly on a full fuel load under a typical mission configuration, balancing fuel burn with payload. For the C-130 Hercules, the commonly cited range for a standard cargo mission is about 2,100 nautical miles. This reflects carrying a normal cargo load while allowing for reserves and typical operating conditions. If the payload is heavier, the range drops; with little or no payload, the aircraft could fly farther, but that would be a different mission profile. The other numbers don’t represent the standard mission range: they are either too short for a typical cargo/method flight or represent conditions (like no payload) that aren’t the usual mission profile.