Representatives of 35 nations that fly variants of C-130 aircraft meet this week in Atlanta for the 20th annual Hercules Operators Conference (HOC) hosted by Lockheed Martin .

The four day conference provides opportunities for the global C-130 Hercules community to address sustainment capabilities and concepts with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), its subcontractors and suppliers. The purpose is to further enhance the readiness of C-130s operated worldwide.

Discussions during the conference will include briefings and information sessions covering all sustainment and maintenance aspects of C-130 and L-100 aircraft, as well as the supply chain, aircraft propulsion and support.

"Lockheed Martin, through its global support network, offers a number of best-value support solutions and partnerships for its platforms. We use the Hercules Operators Conference to listen to our customers and to illustrate our individually tailored sustainment options offered to them based on their needs," said Linda Allen, C-130 program deputy for sustainment, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.

Lockheed Martin embraces the performance-based logistics (PBL) concept and has a number of award winning examples of successful partnerships.

"Lockheed Martin supports its customers with technically advanced sustainment concepts leveraged by our engineering know-how and partnerships with our customers," said Rob Weiss, executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Global Sustainment. "Customers who fly the C-130 and all our products can depend on us to provide the kind of tailored sustainment solutions they need to keep their aircraft in the air."

"We are continually refining our worldwide support capabilities for all our platforms, providing flexible solutions designed to deliver readiness at best value for increased performance metrics year upon year," Weiss said.

Attendees at the 2008 Hercules Operators Conference include pilots, maintainers and crew chiefs that operate and sustain all versions and models of the aircraft.

"Our company understands the importance to our customers of total life-cycle management. We use field support teams deployed around the world to maximize the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) technical reach-back with our engineers at the C-130 manufacturing facility in Marietta," said Weiss.

Lockheed Martin is a major supplier of logistics systems and services to military and civil government customers. The corporation provides solutions for platform maintenance, modifications and repair, material readiness and distribution, and global supply chain command and control.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2007 sales of $41.9 billion.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company