The C-130 Hercules is a medium/long-range combat transport aircraft. A spawn of the US Air Force in 1951, the C-130 still remains ones of the most widely used transport aircraft by the Armed Forces to date. Nearly forty C-130s were produced yearly throughout the entire 1990s. When empty the aircraft weights 75,743 pounds however, the Hercules can carry nearly 100,000 pounds for maximum take-off weight of 175,000 pounds.