An LC-130H Skibird takes off from Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica in December 2022. (Air National Guard)
The Pentagon has secured $194 million to build the first of a fleet of new ski planes that will support troops flying over the Arctic and Antarctic.
Funding approved by Congress last month includes $29 million for engineering work and $165 million to purchase one new LC-130J aircraft, according to a statement posted on the Senate Appropriations Committee website.
Four ski-equipped LC-130H Skibirds and 250 airmen from the New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing have been supporting operations in Antarctica during the Southern Hemisphere’s summer research season, which kicked off in October and wraps up this month.
The 109th supports science research in Greenland during summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
“Some of our planes are over 50 years old,” wing commander Col. Steven Slosek told Stars and Stripes by phone Jan. 7.
An airman watches an LC-130H Skibird at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica in December 2025. (Gabriel Enders/Air National Guard)
The Air Force has been replacing its C-130H Hercules tactical airlifters with upgraded C-130J Super Hercules planes in recent years.
Manufacturer Lockheed Martin will deliver a C-130J and then upgrade it to an LC-130J equipped with skis, Slosek said.
The Guard expects the new aircraft will roll off the production line in about three years and require another year to convert.
“I think it’s going to be a big upgrade,” Slosek said.
The C-130J needs two fewer crew members than the model it replaced thanks to automated navigation and engineering systems, and its engines provide more power, fuel efficiency and range.
The military’s fleet of C-130Hs is dwindling, which could lead to challenges with the supply chain if the guard doesn’t upgrade its planes, Slosek said.
The C-130J will be flying for a long time and has a robust supply system, he said.
A goal for the new ski plane is stronger landing gear, Slosek said.
“Landing on unprepared snow, the aircraft can take a massive beating,” he said.
Guard members are also interested in the C-130J’s aerial refueling capability, which could extend their range, if required, Slosek said.
