This aircraft is the fifth C-130 the U.S. has donated to Colombia and reflects the longstanding partnership between the two countries and their commitment to security and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The extended-range C-130E model entered service in 1962 after it was developed as an interim long-range transport for the U.S. Military Air Transport Service. Essentially a B-model, the new designation was the result of the installation of 1,360 US gal (5,150 L) Sargent Fletcher external fuel tanks under each wing’s midsection and more powerful Allison T56-A-7A turboprops. The hydraulic boost pressure to the ailerons was reduced back to 2,050 psi (14.1 MPa) as a consequence of the external tanks’ weight in the middle of the wingspan.