C-130 Hercules News

June 7, 2006 (by Lockheed Martin) - Lockheed Martin officials said today that they have proposed their in-production short-fuselage variant of the combat tested C-130J for the Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) program.
JCA requirements call for an aircraft capable of short-field performance, able to transport a payload of 12,000 pounds, and designed to accommodate new technology such as defensive systems and state-of-the-art avionics.

"Our C-130J solution meets or exceeds all JCA performance requirements and provides a solid cornerstone for the transformation of the Army's fixed wing fleet," said Rob Weiss, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics vice president for business development. "The performance margins of the C-130J allow it to operate effectively from high-field elevations on hot days, safely completing all missions with unmatched engine-out survivability and capability. The productivity advantages of the C-130J significantly reduce the number of sorties required to sustain deployed combat teams, thereby reducing daily operating costs."

Currently supporting combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as peacekeeping and humanitarian missions worldwide, the C-130J is operated by the U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, as well as the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia and Denmark.

Key features of the C-130J JCA solution include:

• A combat-proven, survivable aircraft with performance and payload flexibility necessary to move mission-critical, time-sensitive cargo to sustain deployed Army combat units anytime, anywhere



• Full mobility support of the National Guard Homeland Security mission with ability to transport all vehicles required by Civilian Support Teams to perform their mission



• System commonality with other domestic and international operators – thereby leveraging existing infrastructure, enhancing joint operations and interoperability, and facilitating collaborative funding of future Block Upgrades



• Lowest risk during all program phases, with flexibility and growth capacity to support evolving JCA requirements over the next several decades, to keep the Warfighter ahead of emerging threats.

"We're especially looking forward to the flight evaluation phase of the JCA competition where we'll have an opportunity to demonstrate the tremendous capabilities of the C-130J such as meeting the 600-mile, 26,000-pound aerial delivery requirement," Weiss said.

Weiss also explained that Lockheed Martin's fixed-price, performance-based Contractor Logistics Support program provides guaranteed C-130J JCA operational readiness, using existing facilities to lower acquisition costs and maintain critical government capabilities.

"Our entire C-130J JCA team is already in place with the proven leadership, workforce and management controls which have routinely enabled on-schedule, on-budget deliveries," said Weiss. "We are prepared to commit the resources of the entire Lockheed Martin team to ensure the success of this critical joint program. We firmly believe that the C-130J provides the greatest operational capability and flexibility as well as best value at lowest risk."