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On July 5/10, Australia’s DoD signed a new 3 year, A$ 136 million (about $114.3 million) contract with Qantas Defence Services for ongoing maintenance and support of the RAAF’s 12 C-130H Hercules tactical transport aircraft, including its T56 turboprop engines. The RAAF’s new C-130J-30s use a different engine from Rolls Royce, and they are covered by a separate maintenance contract; but the RAAF’s 18 AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft also use the T56 engine. AP-3C engine work will be covered under this C-130H accord, as an ancillary contract outside the AP-3C TLS program.
The new contract continues an arrangement that has been in place since 1999, and will support 200 jobs based at RAAF Base Richmond. There will be some change, however – Gerry Roberts is about to retire from his C-130 program manager role at Qantas Defence Services, a branch of Australia’s national airline. Australia DoD.