Major Program Milestone Demonstrates Success For Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules Program

The first three C-130J Super Hercules for India take the final positions on Lockheed Martin’s assembly line in Marietta, Ga. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

20 July 2010, FARNBOROUGH, England -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] recently completed assembly of its 200th C-130J Super Hercules. The aircraft is the second HC-130J for the U.S. Air Force’s Air Combat Command and is a clear demonstration of the success and continued growth of the C-130J program, which produces the world’s most advanced airlifter. During media briefings at this year’s Farnborough International Airshow, Lockheed Martin representatives discussed this and the many other reasons why the C-130J is the airlifter of choice around the world.

“The C-130J Super Hercules has become an integral part of the very fabric of global airlift operations,” said Ross Reynolds, Lockheed Martin vice president for C-130 programs. “The C-130J proves itself on a daily basis while engaged in combat, peacekeeping, humanitarian and disaster relief operations. There is no greater proof of an aircraft’s value than when it does the job it is designed to do exceptionally well. The C-130’s excellent range and payload under high/hot conditions made the aircraft an early favorite among ground forces. The C-130J is not a distant promise or an idea – it is a battle-proven, reliable, affordable airlifter that can meet the growing need for air mobility today.”

CC-130J delivery headed for Canada on June 6, 2010. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

Reynolds also referenced the 200th C-130J during the briefing, noting this new HC-130J variant indicates there is still a need for the highly efficient, flexible mission-focused aircraft. “The C-130J is still seeing new horizons in terms of design and we have more on the drawing board,” he said.

The ongoing success of the C-130J program continues to be demonstrated in other ways. This September marks the 50th anniversary celebration of Canada receiving its first C-130. When the time came to replace the existing Canadian C-130 fleet, the C-130J’s proven capabilities far exceeded the new airlift concepts offered. Canada received its first CC-130J in June 2010 and will have a total fleet of 17 CC-130Js.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 136,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2009 sales of $45.2 billion.

Lockheed Martin