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Lockheed Martin Corp. in Marietta, GA received a $23.4 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for C-5 AMP production Lot V kits and spares. At this time, total funds have been obligated and work will be complete May 2009. The Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH issued the contract (F33657-98-C-0006/P00167). See ”$33.3M to Continue C-5 Galaxy AMP-RERP Modernization” for in-depth coverage of what this major refit to the super-giant Galaxy transport aircraft entails, as the USAF attempts to improve the availability of an aircraft whose readiness rates have hovered at just 55-60%. The USAF is not yet certain that the upgrades will succeed in meeting readiness goals on the older C-5As, as the program experiences cost growth. Meanwhile, a battle is brewing between C-5M and C-17 supporters in Congress, and a reader writes:

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“I enjoy your articles covering various military spending. I have been checking your aircraft transport listings and haven’t seen much about the C5A. My reason for asking here in Martinsburg, WVA the Air Guard (167th) is spending between 300 million and 400 million to completely rebuild the base that was used for C130H to C5A. The work they’re doing on the other side of the field is absolutely amazing, huge new hanagars, new runways and taxiways, construction crews working day and night. I find the amount of money being spent to be simply unbelivable with all of the spare capacity at BRAC’ed air bases. I guess Sen Byrd is spending house ways and means money instead of DoD to get it through, but I was wondering what are you folks hearing? You really got to see it to believe it, and you hear next to nothing in the media. Can your organization tell me anything about the Air Forces plan for the C5A and whats up at the 167th—Big money being spent.”

Good question. Any readers with good answers?