Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract valued at up to $287 million, if all options are exercised, to provide C-130J training systems and services to the U.S. Air Force. The Air Force recently exercised options totaling $51.9 million to begin work immediately on the new training systems.

This contract follows a multi-year C-130J aircraft acquisition award to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company earlier this year, valued in excess of $4 billion. Under that contract, the U.S. Air Force ordered 40 C-130J aircraft and the U.S. Marine Corps ordered 20 KC-130J tankers.

As prime contractor for the training systems, Lockheed Martin Information Systems has overall responsibility for program management, training equipment, spares procurement, and integration of training services. The contract will provide eight new trainers as well as training instruction and support to qualify and sustain the Air Force's C-130J crew force through the year 2010.

"This expanded training contract will enable the Air Force to efficiently and effectively maximize its airlift capability," said Steve Fleming, Lockheed Martin C-130 senior program manager. "Lockheed Martin is ready to support this critical military capability, demonstrating a whole systems approach to addressing customer requirements. Our training systems will fully prepare the warfighter to fly our aircraft and to support their ultimate goal of mission success."

Design and manufacture of the training systems has been subcontracted to CAE under Lockheed Martin's C-130J Maintenance and Aircrew Training System (MATS) program. CAE will build four new aircrew trainers, three maintenance trainers, a loadmaster trainer, and provide operation and maintenance support.

"The United States government has made a significant commitment to tactical airlift with the newest Hercules aircraft," said John Lenyo, president and general manager, CAE USA. "We are committed to ensuring the aircrews and maintainers of the aircraft are well-trained and mission-ready."

All of the new training systems will be delivered to either Little Rock Air Force Base (AFB) in Arkansas or Pope AFB in North Carolina.

Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, Lockheed Martin employs about 125,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Information Systems