LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- The 19th Airlift Wing led the C-130J Super Hercules Weapons System Council focused on advancing tactical airlift capability and global readiness at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, April 10, 2025.
Chaired by the 19th AW and installation commander, Col. Denny Davies, the event brought together key leaders and subject matter experts from across 23 wings and the Total Force C-130J enterprise to coordinate future operations, training, and modernization efforts in support of Rapid Global Mobility.
“While the C-130 will ultimately be a 100-year platform, its tactics, techniques, and variants continue to evolve with the ever-changing landscape and convergence of technology, threats, and mission requirements,” said Davies. “This Weapons System Council is a valuable tool to create synergy and buy-in from our Total Force Enterprise on the most important issues facing our C-130 community.”
By advancing innovation and integration, the WSC aimed to strengthen the C-130 community’s ability to deliver lethal, multi-domain combat power—anywhere, anytime.
The WSC also provided a forum to tackle challenges and drive alignment across the Mobility Air Forces’ most diverse tactical airlift platform. Discussions focused on areas such as threat-based mission planning, modernization timelines, and the evolving needs of the high-end fight.
As part of the council’s scenario-driven approach, aircrew also engaged in a combat simulation designed by the 19th Operations Support Squadron intelligence and crew communications flights. The exercise challenged crews to plan and execute missions under simulated contested conditions, encouraging the development of mission-ready Airmen trained to fly, fix, and support in combat.
“The Weapons System Council was designed to be a large-scale formation and integrate all C-130J units from around the Air Force,” said 1st Lt. Samuel Gobbie, 19th OSS intelligence officer and WSC intelligence section lead. “Every unit and person who participated brought different perspectives and experiences to help strengthen our plans and ultimately the mission execution.”
Gobbie highlighted the importance of realistic training that mirrors the complexity of real-world operations.
“In real-world operations, it is not just one unit that goes out the door—it is a much larger effort,” Gobbie said. “Training with our Team Little Rock partners and units across the Air Force helps prepare us to work closely together for the real thing. This simulation enabled aircrew to think about how they would execute their mission in a more contested environment—it’s realistic training for what they could see in a potential real-world conflict.”
The 19th AW is home to the largest C-130 fleet in the world, a distinction that reinforces its critical role in global airlift operations. With unparalleled capacity and reach, Herk Nation is united in purpose, diverse in capability and leading the way across the Mobility Air Forces.
“It has been my honor to lead the Council this past year, and I look forward to seeing my good friend, Col. Justin Diehl, 317th AW commander at Dyess, take the community to new heights over the next year,” Davies said.