Lockheed Martin Corp. has landed a $287.2-million mark-up to an earlier U.S. Dept. of Defense contract for its C-130J transport aircraft. The order for five more planes pushes the original order, placed late last year, to roughly $5.7 billion, and totaling 88 aircraft over five years.
According to published reports, a U.S. Air Force source claimed the additional planes were added to the original order during Congressional budget reviews.
Assembly for the C-130J Super Hercules will be performed at Lockheed’s complex in Marietta, GA, and reportedly will be completed by April 2020.
The C-130J is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Martin. Originally developed as a troop, medivac, and cargo transport aircraft, it also been adapted for use as a gunship, for airborne assault missions, search and rescue missions, reconnaissance, aerial refueling, and various other roles. According to Lockheed, it delivers a “unique mix of versatility and performance to complete any mission, anytime, anywhere.”
Also, Lockheed recently earned a $10-billion, “indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity” contract to supply as many as 100 more C-130J aircraft, through 2026. This a contract that is not definite but allows Congressional budgeters to approve new orders up to that amount, which allows Lockheed to accept foreign military sales within its current production planning.
