US Air Force May Halt C-130 Upgrade Program

Posted on: Mar. 7th, 2006 || Source: aimpoints.hq.af.mil | E-mail Article | Print Article

The Air Force is rethinking its plan to upgrade its oldest Lockheed Martin [LMT] C-130 Hercules medium-sized transport aircraft and may opt instead to retire many of them and apply the savings to newer C-130Js or a smaller cargo platform, according to senior service officials.

The news comes as the Department of Defense continues to mull the makeup of its future tactical airlift fleet in the wake of last year's Mobility Capability Study (MCS). The latter identified a requirement for at least 395 C-130 aircraft or the equivalent in intra-theater airlift capacity, these officials said. The Joint Staff and Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD)'s Program Analysis and Evaluation office continue to study the issue.

"I think what has evolved here recently is a recognition that maybe we shouldn't replace a C-130 one-for-one," said Gen. Norman Schwartz, commander of U.S. Transportation Command, before the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) on March 2.

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