Airdyne Aerospace Inc., Brooksville, Florida, was awarded a $41,381,150 firm-fixed-price and cost-reimbursement-no-fee requirements contract for HC130-J Paratroop Bubbledoor modification kits. This contract provides for 28 ship sets for the HC-130J Paratroop door modification effort. Work will be performed in Brooksville, Florida, and is estimated to be completed by Sept. 30, 2026. The award is a result of a sole-source acquisition. U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8509-21-D-0002).
The new “bubble doors” will make the C-130 aircraft into an effective SAR aircraft, that can scan and locate people in distress through the FLIR, and then throw down various types of rescue equipment via visual drops. New equipment brings new capabilities, which means that the unit’s 28 crews will have even more missions to train for and fly. Eleven aircraft from both the Air Force and Air National Guard have received permanent modifications of the left and right rear paratroop doors with Airdyne’s AS-6BKS “Bubble” Doors with armour and retract assemblies.
The Lockheed Martin HC-130J Combat King II has a more advanced engine and propellers, which provide a 20% increase in speed and altitude, and a 40% increase in range over the HC-130H. The new aircraft also features state-of-the-market avionics, including all-glass cockpit displays and improved navigation equipment. The HC-130J’s suite of command, control, communication, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) equipment helps to extend the fleet’s mission capabilities.
Airdyne is a small, privately owned, highly focused aircraft special mission systems engineering, manufacturing and aerospace research firm. Still less than ten years old, Airdyne was created in direct response to an industry need for responsive, specialized, design engineering services in support of roll-on C-130 special mission aircraft support systems. Airdyne R&D is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with a strict engineering mission. Airdyne Aerospace, located in Brooksville, Florida, is the sales, marketing, project management, production, quality assurance, and maintenance headquarters of the group.
