2016
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The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Rolls-Royce in Indianapolis a more than $20 million contract. The announcement comes on the same day that the U.S. Air Force has named Rolls-Royce a "Superior Supplier" for the third consecutive year. The contract calls for the production of spare engines for the C-130J aircraft. Work will be performed in Indianapolis and is expected to be complete by the end of December 2017. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia is the contracting activity. The Air Force recognizes top suppliers each year after companies are rated in Contractor Performance Assessment Reports and then categorize…
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Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Marietta, Georgia, has been awarded a $55,521,060 modification (P00581) to previously awarded contract FA8625-11-C-6597 to definitize an undefinitized contract action for one C-130J aircraft. The location of performance is Marietta, Georgia. This modification is 100 percent unclassified foreign military sales to Israel. The work is expected to be completed by April 30, 2018. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Source: http://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/951753/source/GovDelivery View full article
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440th Airlift Wing members, Airmen from around the country, soldiers and community members gathered together yesterday to honor generations of 440th Airmen and pay tribute to the legacy of the Air Force's third oldest unit, the Air Force Reserve's 440th AW, at its inactivation ceremony, September 18. Though members of the 440th Airlift Wing have been planning and arranging for the closure of the wing's doors for months, little could truly prepare those gathered for the emotional ceremony; the heavy fog of both pride and sadness that would accompany the furling of the 440th Airlift Wing's flag. "I am honored to have spent my entire career with the 440th Airlift Win…
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The long, sad goodbye is coming to an end. The few remaining members of the 440th Airlift Wing will case the colors this weekend. Ceremonies on Fort Bragg and in downtown Fayetteville will bid the unit farewell. The formality of inactivating Fort Bragg's last resident airlift unit will come sometime before the end of this month. It will nearly coincide with the end of the federal fiscal year, which is appropriate, because it appears that the Air Force decision to close the wing was related to federal budget woes. Military budgets are still subject to the blind, meat-ax cuts required by Congress' budget sequestration law, the insane mandate of across-the-board sp…
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The 815th Airlift Squadron “Flying Jennies”, an Air Force Reserve unit assigned to the 403rd Wing here, flew a four-aircraft training exercise today, their first multi-element training mission since the squadron found out in 2015 that it was no longer scheduled for inactivation. The 815th AS is a tactical airlift unit that uses 10 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to transport supplies, equipment and personnel in a theater of operation. The four aircraft flown for this mission were training on performing airdrops to a forward operating base and employing countermeasures to avoid enemy fire. Maj. Mark Suckow, 815th AS pilot, said that normally for this type of missi…
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The Air National Guard unit at Reno completed its first training activation operating the U.S. Forest Service’s Modular Airborne FireFighting System last week and the first of the unit’s C-130s equipped for MAFFS arrived at the base Thursday, September 8. In April the Reno 152nd Airlift Wing became one of the four bases designated to operate MAFFS units. They are replacing the 145th Airlift Wing of North Carolina that is transitioning from the C-130 to the C-17. The other MAFFS bases are at Cheyenne, Colorado Springs, and Channel Islands in California. The USFS has 8 MAFFS units that can be slipped into a C-130 in just a few hours, converting it to a 3,000-gallo…
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C-130 News: Indonesia Acquires Nine Australian Used C-130H Aircraft And Full Mission Simulator
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The Indonesian Air Force has recently taken delivery and accepted for training a CAE-built C-130H full-mission simulator that was previously in-service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The Indonesian Air Force has acquired nine ex-RAAF C-130H aircraft along with the CAE-built simulator as part of a government-to-government agreement established several years ago. Airbus Group Australia Pacific, the prime contractor responsible for delivery of five of the C-130H aircraft along with spares and simulator, subcontracted CAE Australia to relocate the C-130H simulator and to provide the training facility to house it, CAE said in a statement Wednesday. The C…
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The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is to invest GBP350 million (USD465 million) to keep its Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules transport fleet flying through to the type's recently revised out-of-service date (OSD) of 2030, the government disclosed on 5 September. Answering questions in parliament, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence, Harriett Baldwin, said the investment would be made to support the 14 of the 24 aircraft that were extended from 2022 to 2030 in the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) 2015. "The SDSR 2015 announced an OSD extension of 14 C-130J [C4 variant] aircraft from 2022 to 2030. This does not constitute an extension o…
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While post tropical storm Hermine has been downgraded from its previous status as a hurricane, it is still producing strong winds and dangerous riptides as it now sits in the Atlantic Ocean off the East Coast. That's why special weather observation planes are now based at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station to help monitor the storm. 2 On Your Side spoke with their crew members earlier Monday. C-130 cargo planes are a common sight at the Niagara Falls airbase but these particular C-130 J weather planes are known as Hurricane Hunters. They are actually from an Air Force Reserve unit in Mississippi and they've been brought to the Falls to track the storm system kn…
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The Air Force Reserve’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew a fix mission Sept. 1 out of Keesler Air Force Base into Tropical Storm Hermine, which was upgraded to a hurricane mid-flight. In the afternoon, Hermine had max wind speeds of 70 mph at the surface, with a center about 110 miles due south of Panama City Beach, Florida, and was heading north, northeast at 16 mph. Hermine is the first named storm to hit the Gulf in the 2016 hurricane season and the first to hit the Florida coast since 2005. This mission was flown at 5,000 feet above the surface of the ocean at an average of 350 mph to collect data for the National Hurricane Center. The top of a typical …
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Painting a C-130H with a new glossy paint scheme doesn’t happen very often in the Corrosion Control Flight at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex. Most of the time its professional cadre of aircraft painters spray on the customary flat gray color familiar on many a surface of weapon systems that visit Robins from across the globe. But earlier this month things turned a bit more colorful inside one hangar on the flight line, thanks to a visit from one particular aircraft making its way through the final stages of programmed depot maintenance here. During its visit here, the Coast Guard aircraft received a new center wing box, replacement of its outer…
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The engine cranked on as vibrations coursed through the cargo bay. Outside the small windows, he could see the propellers spinning into action as his C-130 taxied out for departure from the 136th Airlift Wing at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas. Secured to one side of the bay, he acclimated to the constant hum of the aircraft and as they took off, he braced and prepared for the bumpy ride to destinations unknown. For the rest of the aircrew, this occurrence was a regular day at the office, but for Airman 1st Class John Karley, 136th Maintenance Squadron propulsion technician, this was all a first. Karley had worked on C-130’s for more than two yea…
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Lockheed Martin Corp. secured a $287.2 million contract modification Friday for five more C-130J transport planes — a program that has been scoring a lot of wins as of late. These five aircraft are being tacked onto a $5.4 billion, multi-year contract for various C-130Js. That contract, which was awarded in November 2015, called for the delivery of up to 83 C-130J variants over the next five years. This most recent award ups that figure to 88. The additional five were "added during congressional budget submittals,” that have come out of defense budget negotiations on Capitol Hill, an Air Force spokesman wrote in an email. Sponsored by …
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C-130 News: Ooh Rah! U.S. Marine Corps Receives 50th KC-130J Super Hercules Aerial Refueler
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The U.S. Marine Corps accepted delivery of its 50th KC-130J Super Hercules aerial refueler at the Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) facility here on Aug. 18. This KC-130J is assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California. The Marine Corps has the distinction of operating the largest KC-130J fleet in the world. As a member of the proven C-130J Super Hercules family, the KC-130J is battle-tested and delivers unmatched tanking capabilities — delivering fuel to a multitude of platforms, from helicopters to the F-35B Lightning II, the world’s most advanced 5th generation multirole fighter. “The U.S. Marine Corps is one of the most visible KC-130J operators in the…
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Lockheed Martin could deliver up to 100 more C-130Js plus services and support equipment to US and foreign customers under a new contracting vehicle awarded on 19 August. The five year ordering contract (FYOC) accommodates orders placed by international and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) tells FlightGlobal. The contracting vehicle also could include new orders from the US government, the AFLCMC says. The FYOC is the second major acquisition announcement involving the C-130J in the last eight months. Last December, the USAF also ordered 78 C-130Js under a $5.4 billion multi-year procurement (M…
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The first LM-100J (5818) commercial freighter continues to make significant progress, reaching major production milestones at the Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) facility here. The LM-100J is the commercial version of Lockheed Martin’s proven C-130J Super Hercules aircraft — the unmatched airlifter of choice for 16 nations. The LM-100J will perform as a commercial, multi-purpose air freighter capable of rapid and efficient cargo transport. The first LM-100J (5818) commercial freighter continues to make significant progress, reaching major production milestones at the Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) facility here. The LM-100J is the commercial version of Lock…
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The Defence Ministry today approved the buying of one C-130 J Super Hercules aircraft, worth about Rs 900 crore, to replace the one that had crashed in 2014 killing five crew members, including four officers. The decision to purchase a new one was taken by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. The aircraft, worth over Rs 900 crore, had crashed while practising a tactical operation along with another C-130J Super Hercules aircraft after taking off from Agra on March 28, 2014. The IAF had inducted six C-130J Super Hercules aircraft which were bought from the US at a cost of around Rs 6,000 crore (USD 1 billion) in 2010. In…
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SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 18, 2016 — The California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing has activated two C-130J Hercules aircraft, joining state and local authorities supporting firefighting efforts across the state at the request of Cal Fire. Each aircraft is equipped with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, which can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds. “The air tankers of the 146th Airlift Wing are a proven asset in California’s fight against wildfires,” said Army Maj. Gen. David S. Baldwin, adjutant general for the California National Guard. “Their capacity to drop thousands of gallons of water and retard…
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As exercise Pitch Black enters its third and final week this week, the C-130J will be operating low-level tactical missions in a high-threat environment, supporting Australian and US Special Forces within the remote Bradshaw and Delamere training ranges in the Northern Territory. What is different, however, is that it will be connected to the networked battlespace for the first time in its operational career. Australia is installing an Engility Corp. Joint Range Extension (JRE) TDL system into all 12 of its Hercules, and the installation is unique in that there are five display terminals: for the pilot, co-pilot, the two loadmasters in the cargo bay and the auxiliary c…
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Looking through pictures of Wyoming Air National Guard aircraft over the last ten years, one picture stands out. An eight year old image of a single C-130H Hercules aircraft with eight-bladed propellers parked on the ramp at dusk, foretelling the modernization of the C-130 fleet. The wing assisted with developmental testing by providing a dedicated aircraft and additional crew members for testing with the Electronic Propeller Control System (EPCS) and NP2000 eight-bladed propellers in June 2008. This test represented an option for the Air Force and Air National Guard to modernize the C-130H fleet through a comprehensive propulsion upgrade allowing for increased performa…
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Hidden away in the 62nd Airlift Wing history office, works a Vietnam Veteran and retired lieutenant colonel. While working daily to preserve McChord and Air Force history, Dr. Robert Allen, 62nd AW historian, holds a rich history of his own. Allen grew up as an Army brat in the 1950’s. His father was a signal officer in the Army and was stationed at various overseas bases including Stuttgart and Mannheim, Germany throughout his childhood. Living in Germany following World War II, as a child Allen witnessed the consequences of war up close. “There was still much rubble in the city from the war,” said Allen. “My friends were living in bombed out basements …
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The HC-130H that is being transferred from the Coast Guard (previous 1708 c/n 5002) to the U.S. Forest Service that will be designated as Air Tanker 116 has recently received a new paint job. The projected delivery date to McClellan Air Field in California is September 15. Sometime after that it should be in service as an air tanker, but will be using on a temporary basis one of the eight USFS slip-in MAFFS retardant systems until a permanent retardant delivery system can be installed. The paint design is similar what was approved over two years ago and the one on the recently acquired Sherpa C-23B aircraft, but varies a bit from the design, in that the engine c…
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The US Air Force's (USAF's) Lockheed Martin-BAE Systems EC-130H Compass Call wide-area coverage electronic attack and offensive counter information aircraft has received an avionics upgrade aimed at boosting its navigation capabilities, the service announced on 5 August. The Compass Call avionic viability program (AVP) upgrade revitalizes the aircraft's cockpit with liquid crystal displays at a cost of about USD45 million over three years, Major Gerardo Sanchez, the 42nd Electronic Combat Squadron assistant director of operations, said in a statement. "With the new upgrades, we can grab the information with the push of a button," Maj Sanchez said. "It increases the p…
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A mainstay aircraft at the 58th Special Operations Wing since its arrival in 1992, the MC-130H Combat Talon II is no more. The last Talon II, tail number 86-1699 c/n 5026 , departed for the 19th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., Aug. 2. As the sun rose on the Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., flight line, it also set on the on an era for the 58th and its 550th Special Operations Squadron. “It’s extremely emotional,” said Col. Doug Carroll, 58th Special Operations Wing vice commander who was part of the crew tasked with delivering the aircraft to Hurlburt. “This is truly the end of an era.” The particular aircraft and aircraft type have been …
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The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has awarded Pacific Propeller International (PPI) a five-year support contract to provide overhaul services for the Hamilton Sundstrand 54H60-117 propeller assembly and components. The 54H60-117 propeller system operates on the USCG’s fleet of C-130 Hercules Heavy Lift, Search and Rescue aircraft. The five-year contract consists of a one-year base, followed by four single-year options. PPI is an FAA authorized repair station, certified under FAR 145. For more than a half century PPI has been recognized as an accomplished global repair and overhaul facility and has enjoyed several smaller, quantity specific USCG 54H60 propelle…
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