RAF C130J LEP
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RAF C130J LEP
Torygraph: Deal to extend Hercules' life secures 1,200 UK engineering jobs
Royal Air Force's fleet of Hercules transport planes to be given new lease of life with huge contract to service them
A major contract to maintain the Royal Air Force’s fleet of US-made Hercules aircraft has been awarded to British companies, safeguarding 1,200 UK jobs.
The bulk of the £369m deal to extend the life of the four-engine transport aeroplanes until 2030 will go to Cambridge-based Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group. Under the terms of the six-year contract, about 1,100 jobs around Cambridge servicing the C-130J aircraft, which carry troops and cargo, will be protected.
A further 100 jobs at Rolls-Royce, which will maintain the aircrafts’ engines, and at the UK arm of Lockheed Martin, which will manage the supply chain of parts needed, will also be safeguarded.
Winning the contract is a coup for the Marshall, as the Hercules were originally built by Lockheed at its plant in Georgia.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: “This contract is further evidence of what the growing defence budget, with £178bn investment in equipment, means for the UK. It will ensure our essential RAF transport aircraft are prepared for operations for years to come.”
The Hercules had been set for retirement in 2022 but last month’s strategic defence and security review (SDSR) revealed they would be given a new lease of life as part of the plan to “recapitalise” the RAF’s air transport fleet to enable UK forces to “intervene globally at speed”.
The RAF currently operates a fleet of 24 Hercules aircraft. Under the new contract, by 2025 there will be 14 of the aircraft in service, with the other 10 being decommissioned in 2016 and 2017.
Royal Air Force's fleet of Hercules transport planes to be given new lease of life with huge contract to service them
A major contract to maintain the Royal Air Force’s fleet of US-made Hercules aircraft has been awarded to British companies, safeguarding 1,200 UK jobs.
The bulk of the £369m deal to extend the life of the four-engine transport aeroplanes until 2030 will go to Cambridge-based Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group. Under the terms of the six-year contract, about 1,100 jobs around Cambridge servicing the C-130J aircraft, which carry troops and cargo, will be protected.
A further 100 jobs at Rolls-Royce, which will maintain the aircrafts’ engines, and at the UK arm of Lockheed Martin, which will manage the supply chain of parts needed, will also be safeguarded.
Winning the contract is a coup for the Marshall, as the Hercules were originally built by Lockheed at its plant in Georgia.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: “This contract is further evidence of what the growing defence budget, with £178bn investment in equipment, means for the UK. It will ensure our essential RAF transport aircraft are prepared for operations for years to come.”
The Hercules had been set for retirement in 2022 but last month’s strategic defence and security review (SDSR) revealed they would be given a new lease of life as part of the plan to “recapitalise” the RAF’s air transport fleet to enable UK forces to “intervene globally at speed”.
The RAF currently operates a fleet of 24 Hercules aircraft. Under the new contract, by 2025 there will be 14 of the aircraft in service, with the other 10 being decommissioned in 2016 and 2017.
It's good to see that some thought is going in to continued SF capability with this tactical transport. It's surprising how short an in service life the J was planned for considering the longevity of its elder brother, the K. Also good to see that the work will be retained by British companies.
Smudge
Smudge
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Ten standard C-130Js (C. Mk5) and 15 stretched C-130J-30s (C. Mk4). It was a C.4 that was written off.
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The ac lost to a 'landing accident' was in fact disabled by a series of IEDs on a strip, it was too badly damaged to be repaired in situ so it was blown up rather than leave it to the bad guys. The C130 force lost 3 ac to enemy action during Ops Herrick & Telic with another written off after a genuine 'landing accident'.
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It's surprising how short an in service life the J was planned for considering the longevity of its elder brother, the K
The more pertinent question is what on earth did we get lumbered with the A400 for? Even as a layman it looks and seems like a modern day Belfast - too big, too slow, too expensive to operate? But I could be missing something obvious
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The A400M was procured to replace the C130Ks originally & to be operated alongside the C130J, this was before the C17 was bought (rather than as originally leased) for Herrick. The decision to get rid of the Js was made so as to have a 2 type AT fleet but it did leave something of a gap in carrying capacity between the Chinook & the Atlas particularly in the Tac & SF roles.
As to why we bought the Atlas? Obviously it was bought because UK industry builds the wings & to show our support for a pan-European project but it can carry quite a bit more than a C130 considerably further & faster (M0.68) so it will be a great Strat AT ac. I'm less convinced about the Tac role but time will tell - it has great performance so it should be good for strip work, it's wingspan is only slightly bigger than a C130 & with multiple wheels it should have roughly the same footprint.
As to why we bought the Atlas? Obviously it was bought because UK industry builds the wings & to show our support for a pan-European project but it can carry quite a bit more than a C130 considerably further & faster (M0.68) so it will be a great Strat AT ac. I'm less convinced about the Tac role but time will tell - it has great performance so it should be good for strip work, it's wingspan is only slightly bigger than a C130 & with multiple wheels it should have roughly the same footprint.
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Ken Scott, I must apologise for thinking you were talking out of your rissole re the relative wingspans of the C-130 and A400M. Now totally amazed to find a difference of only 7 feet! There's got to be some aerodynamic jiggery pokery going on there.
