Lockheed Martin (LMT) has won a $15 billion contract to supply the U.S. Air Force with its C-130J Hercules transport aircraft. Work,which will be performed at Lockheed’s plant in Georgia, is expected to be completed July 16, 2030. The contract was awarded for the development, integration and production of all the four variants of the military transport aircraft. The U.S. Air Force said that the contract is for an indefinite quantity and indefinite delivery. Separately, Lockheed was awarded a $935 million contract by the U.S. Navy to procure support equipment, autonomic logistics information system hardware, training systems, site activations and integrated contractor support for its F-35 Lightning II.
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules aircraft can carry tons of supplies more than 3,000 miles and deliver “the last mile” to remote operating bases, keeping trucks off dangerous highways. It operates with only two pilots and one loadmaster for most missions, exposing fewer flight crew members to potential combat threats. The C-130J aircraft is used by about 20 countries around the globe. This contract involves foreign military sales and is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $3,300,000 are being obligated at the time of award.
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. The C-130J is a comprehensive update of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, with new engines, flight deck, and other systems. As of February 2018, 400 C-130J aircraft have been delivered to 17 nations. The Hercules family has the longest continuous production run of any military aircraft in history. During more than 60 years of service, the family has participated in military, civilian, and humanitarian aid operations. The Hercules has outlived several planned successor designs, most notably the Advanced Medium STOL Transport contestants.
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed originally by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a cargo transport aircraft. The versatile airframe has found uses in a variety of other roles, including as a gunship, for airborne assault, search and rescue, scientific research support, weather reconnaissance, aerial refueling, maritime patrol, and aerial firefighting. It is now the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. More than 40 variants of the Hercules, including civilian versions marketed as the Lockheed L-100, operate in more than 60 nations.
