US May Buy 26 More C-130Js in FY 2007-2008

C-130J(click to view full) Bloomberg reports that Lockheed Martin Corp. may receive $1.15 billion for 26 C-130J Hercules transport aircraft over the next two years under a December 14, 2005 memo approved by Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England. The memo includes the plane purchase proposal in the Pentagon’s 2007-2011 budget plan, and proposes to authorize 13 Hercules transports in each of FY 2007 ($430 million) and FY 2008 ($718 million) – 18 USAF C-130J transports and 8 US Marine Corps KC-130J aerial refueling tankers. The USMC prefers Hercules aircraft for this role because they can fly slowly enough to refuel helicopters as well, and 6 USMC KC-130Js are currently flying missions in Iraq. According to the Bloomberg report… C-130J Cockpit(click to view full) Lockheed’s Deputy Program Manager Greg Ulmer said on November 28, 2005 that the company is in preliminary discussion with the USAF for an additional five-year C-130J contract, and the Teal Group’s Richard Aboulafia notes that the US had the option to stretch the purchases out through 2011. Aboulafia sees its proposal as “a strong endorsement of the program… that tells prospective foreign customers this program will be around.” On the other hand, Gordon England’s memo could also […]