Lockheed Martin secures $198M of C-130 training orders.

"The C-130J is the world's most versatile airlifter, and we've created training products and services for our customers that reflect the Hercules' many incredible missions," said Amy Gowder, vice president of Training and Logistics Solutions. "With contracts that include customized new trainers, software and hardware updates for existing trainers along with cybersecurity provisions, we view these contracts as a significant opportunity ensuring we're delivering the best solutions for developing well trained airmen around the world."

The contracts are:

- Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) Weapon System Trainers: Five new C-130J weapon system trainers for AFSOC. These full flight simulators have specialized large field of view glass mirror visual systems, and will be delivered in the MC (special mission) and AC (gunship) variants in mid-2020 through 2021 to Air Force Bases throughout the U.S., and in Japan and Germany.

- Air National Guard Reconfigurable Weapon System Trainers: A new, reconfigurable C-130J weapon system trainer for the Air National Guard at Quonset Point Reserve Base in Rhode Island in early 2020. This flight simulator will support training for the C and MC (special mission) variants of the aircraft. The contract also includes two years of maintenance and training operations support.

- Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) U.S. Marine Corps Observer Training Aids: Four new KC-130J observer trainers for NAVAIR. These training aids provide a variety of scenarios for crewmasters and loadmasters to recognize and respond to airborne emergencies, aerial refueling emergencies and threat detection and avoidance. The observer trainers will be delivered to Marine Corps locations in Cherry Point, North Carolina; Miramar, Florida; Ft. Worth, Texas and Iwakuni, Japan.

- Air Mobility Command (AMC) Obsolescence Phase-3: Upgrades the two AMC C-130J fuselage trainers at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, as well as two visual systems on the flight simulators located at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas and Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany.

- Air Mobility Command (AMC) Obsolescence Phase-4: Upgrades 13 existing AMC trainers at Air Force Bases throughout the U.S. and Europe. These flight trainers include avionics systems management trainers, engine and propeller trainers, flight control trainers, multi-function training aids, load master and part task trainers, weapon systems trainers, integrated cockpit systems trainers and cockpit procedures trainers.

- Simulator Common Architecture and Requirements Standards: A one-year technical support contract to assist the U.S. Air Force with conducting analyses for common architectures across various simulator elements. These analyses will ultimately be used to set a common approach across all trainers for future acquisitions.

The contracts are only one way Lockheed Martin is committed to C-130 training. The corporation has also funded development of the Hercules Training Center (HTC), a facility slated to open in Q2 2018. The HTC will train the next generation of air mobility pilots and crews for the C-130J airlifter and LM-100J commercial freighter. The HTC will include classroom space, training devices and a new, reconfigurable C-130J/LM-100J full mission simulator.