AACC signs technical partnership with Derco to enhance Saudi C-130 Hercules aircraft MRO capabilities.

Aircraft Accessories and Components Company (AACC), a subsidiary of SAMI, on March 24 announced that a signing of a Preferred Supplier Agreement with Derco, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, had taken place during the recent World Defense Show 2022 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The agreement will enable AACC to enhance its existing capabilities in serving the C-130 Hercules fleets of the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF).

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Royal Saudi Air Force C-130H (Picture source: U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Richard Rose)

AACC’s partnership with Derco will create a high-velocity C-130 supply chain solution for component repair and maintenance, which includes capability development to transition mutually agreed-upon spares and repair capabilities to AACC.

The partnership aims to further AACC’s vision to emerge as a leading SAMI center for mechanical component MRO and a military and commercial aviation service provider. Furthermore, the agreement will serve not only to optimize AACC’s manpower and resources and increase its productivity but will also allow Saudi technicians to gain valuable experience across a range of emerging military technologies.

Furthermore, the agreement will allow SAMI to advance its long-term strategic objectives by helping the Kingdom build a sustainable, self-sufficient military industries sector through facilitating the transfer of technology (ToT), transfer of knowledge (ToK), and transfer of production (ToP) in collaboration with industry leaders.

This partnership also represents another major milestone for SAMI and Lockheed Martin, who only a year ago inked a strategic joint venture agreement to facilitate cooperation between the two companies in enhancing Saudi Arabia’s domestic defense and security capabilities and supporting the industrialization and economic development objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

AACC’s partnership with Derco will create a high-velocity C-130 supply chain solution for component repair and maintenance, which includes capability development to transition mutually agreed-upon spares and repair capabilities to AACC. (Picture source: SAMI)

Commenting on the announcement, Eng. Mazen Johar, Chief Executive Officer of AACC, said: “This exciting new agreement will serve to further our ties with Lockheed Martin while helping fulfill the Kingdom’s growing need for localized military equipment suppliers and service providers. We look forward to commencing our partnership with Derco, one which we believe will prove extremely conducive to our long-term technology transfer, job creation, and local content development goals and the furtherance of our Vision 2030 objectives.”

“The Royal Saudi Air Force is one of the world’s largest and most recognized C-130 Hercules operators in the world, supporting critical national and regional missions. Derco’s role as a preferred supplier for this trusted fleet of C-130s ensures RSAF crews will continue to support any mission at any time. Lockheed Martin’s relationship with the Kingdom represents almost 60 years of partnership rooted in the C-130 Hercules. It is an honor to expand our relationship and service to the Kingdom with this new and important partnership.” Said Brigadier General (Ret.) Joseph Rank, Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin Saudi Arabia and Africa.

Derco is a Lockheed Martin authorized repair facility for C-130 components, and the exclusive original source for C-130H Certified Parts designed by Lockheed Martin. Derco is uniquely qualified to support AACC in fulfilling its spares requirements to the RSAF. Derco maintains over 30 distribution and licensing agreements with system manufacturers and offers personalized solutions designed to improve fleet availability and reduce operational costs.

AACC is participating in the World Defense Show as part of the SAMI pavilion, where it has put on display its full range of offerings. SAMI is the strategic partner of WDS, founded by the General Authority for Military Industries. The inaugural edition of the biennial show runs from 6-9 March at a purpose-built venue in Riyadh, bringing together more than 450 leading defense firms from around 37 countries that are showcasing the latest technologies from air, land, sea, space, and security domains in an optimal networking environment for collaboration and innovation.