Aging Aircraft

The Congressional Research Service recently issued a report on the C-130 program, noting that the aircraft "has been the workhorse of U.S. tactical airlift for the past 57 years."

Consequently, aging aircraft could be an item for congressional concern, the June 25 report -- originally obtained by Secrecy News -- states, adding:

As the C-130 fleet ages, management issues arise with reduced reliability, obsolescence and reduced parts availability, and changing aviation rules that impact the C-130’s ability to operate worldwide. The C-130 program recently passed a major milestone; the FY2013 NDAA authorized the Secretary of the Air Force to enter into one or more multi-year contracts for the procurement of C-130J aircraft for the Department of the Air Force and the Department of the Navy. This was a significant step toward recapitalizing a portion of the fleet. As Congress decides the future of the tactical airlift fleet, a significant decision is whether or not to continue recapitalizing the fleet with new aircraft. This issue is fueled by several factors, including aircraft life cycles, cost, basing strategy, strategic guidance, the industrial base, and the desired capabilities mix. With these factors in mind, the services have committed to recapitalize a large portion of the C-130 fleet. However, at current production rates, there will still be aircraft in the fleet much older than the crews that fly them well into the future.

Inside the Air Force's top story today reported that contract negotiations between the Air Force and Lockheed Martin for up to 83 J-model C-130 airlifters are progressing and an award is due in December.

That deal could be worth almost $6 billion and will supply the Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and the special operations community with a steady supply of new airplanes during the delivery years 2015 to 2020, ITAF reports. Additionally:

In a June 26 email to Inside the Air Force, service spokesman Ed Gulick said the Air Force expects to award the C-130J contract in December. According to Air Force budget documents, the multiyear buy is expected to cost about $5.8 billion and produce a savings of 9.5 percent over annual procurement costs, while also achieving a better delivery schedule.

The five-year block buy was one of a number of Pentagon contracts delayed after Congress failed to agree on a fiscal year 2014 spending bill, which resulted in a temporary ban on multiyear procurements. The congressional budget deal reached in January supports the procurement plan.

According to Lockheed, the current offering is for 78 C-130s with an option of five more for the Coast Guard. The Air Force wants to buy a total of 71 aircraft between FY-14 and FY-18, which is a mix of multimission, "stretch" and search-and-rescue variants, and the Marine Corps is buying six KC-130J tankers. The Coast Guard is planning to buy one HC-130J through the contract, with the option for five more.

"We've been working with the U.S. government to finalize that contract," Steve Pigott, Lockheed's director of international air mobility and maritime programs, told ITAF in a June 24 interview. "Right now we've got 83 aircraft that are part of this multiyear offering. And it's essentially for delivery years 2015 through 2020, and it ensures a steady production rate of 24 aircraft per year [including international orders] through that time frame."