01/02/2016 Par Michel Cabirol - LaTribune.fr

L'armée de l'air s'offre quatre Hercules C-130J neufs, des avions de transport tactique américains.

La Direction générale de l'armement (DGA) a commandé vendredi à l'armée de l'air des États-Unis (USAF) quatre Hercules C-130J neufs. Deux des quatre appareils disposeront d'une capacité de ravitaillement en vol des hélicoptères conformément aux annonces qui avaient été faites en avril 2015 lors de la réactualisation de la loi de programmation militaire. Cette commande fait suite à la décision prise par du ministre de la Défense, Jean-Yves Le Drian, le 15 décembre en comité ministériel d'investissement (CMI). Le 1er janvier, il avait confirmé que "l'acquisition attendue a été confirmée par mes soins il y a quelques jours".

Cette acquisition "permettra de renforcer nos capacités de transport aérien tactique, qui sont excessivement sollicitées", avait expliqué Jean-Yves Le Drian le 4 juin à l'Assemblée nationale.

Les deux premiers avions seront livrés fin 2017 et début 2018 et les deux ravitailleurs en 2019. Ces quatre C-130J viendront renforcer le segment médian de la flotte de transport tactique de l'armée de l'air, actuellement composé des C-160 Transall et C-130H Hercules. Ces appareils sont "en effet particulièrement sollicités et éprouvés par les différentes opérations extérieures dont les conditions environnementales mettent à rude épreuve les matériels", a expliqué ce lundi le communiqué de la DGA.

Une facture de 640 millions de dollars

"Mesure phare de l'actualisation de la loi de programmation militaire, cette acquisition a été réalisée dans des délais très brefs", a estimé la DGA. Elle est effectuée dans le cadre d'une procédure d'acquisition FMS (Foreign Military Sales). Elle comprend également le système de soutien, la formation du personnel et le maintien en condition opérationnelle initial. Mais cette commande n'aura pas été sans mal. Car l'enveloppe budgétaire prévue dans le cadre de cet achat était au départ très serrée : 330 millions d'euros. En août, la DGA avait donc également lancé en parallèle une demande d'information pour l'acquisition de 4 C130 d'occasion.

Car la facture était beaucoup trop serrée, avait estimé dans un premier temps la DGA, pour s'offrir quatre C130 neufs produits par Lockheed Martin avec les équipements demandés, la logistique et les formations nécessaires. Le prix unitaire d'un C130 s'élève à 90 millions de dollars environ, avait même précisé le délégué général pour l'armement, Laurent Collet-Billon, le 21 mai dernier à l'Assemblée nationale. Mais il avait estimé que l'acquisition de quatre C-130J neufs s'élèverait à 800 millions d'euros environ. Selon nos informations, la facture s'élèverait finalement à environ 640 millions de dollars.

MARIETTA, Ga., Dec. 31, 2015 /PRNewswire

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) will deliver 78 C-130J Super Hercules to the U.S. government through a C-130J Multiyear II contract, which was announced by the U.S. government on Dec. 30, 2015.

Yesterday, the Department of Defense announced the award of more than $1 billion in funding for the first 32 aircraft of the Multiyear contract. The overall contract, worth $5.3 billion, provides Super Hercules aircraft to the U.S. Air Force (30 MC-130Js, 13 HC-130Js and 29 C-130J-30s) and the U.S. Marine Corps (six KC-130Js). Also through this contract, the U.S. Coast Guard has the option to acquire five HC-130Js. Aircraft purchased through the multiyear contract will deliver between 2016 and 2020.

"We are proud to partner with the U.S. government to continue to deliver to the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard the world's most proven, versatile and advanced airlifter," said George Shultz, vice president and general manager, Air Mobility & Maritime Missions at Lockheed Martin. "This multiyear contract provides true value to our U.S. operators as they recapitalize and expand their much-relied-upon Hercules aircraft, which has the distinction of being the world's largest and most tasked C-130 fleet."

Constructed in alignment with the U.S. government's Better Buying Power initiative, this contract provides significant savings to the U.S. government through multiyear procurement as compared to annual buys.

Lockheed Martin provided 60 C-130Js to the U.S. government through an initial multiyear contract announced in 2003, which delivered aircraft to the U.S. Air Force and U.S Marine Corps from 2003-2008.

The C-130J Super Hercules is the standard in tactical airlift, providing a unique mix of versatility and performance to complete any mission, anytime, anywhere. It is the airlifter of choice for 16 nations and 19 different operators. The Super Hercules worldwide fleet has more than 1.3 million flight hours to its credit. For additional information, visit www.lockheedmartin.com/c130.

About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that – with the addition of Sikorsky – employs approximately 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

March 24, 2015 by Saurav Jha – Geek at large

Ever since the Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued its 2009 directive to prepare the military for a two front war, there has been a heightened sense of urgency in acquiring transport platforms that can move men and materiel over considerable distances at short notice. Prior to this, the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami had also brought to light the need to bring in longer ranged airborne platforms that can sustain humanitarian support across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Accordingly, the Indian Air force (IAF) is recapitalizing its entire transport fleet with a view to becoming more potent in out of area operations besides being able to support the Indian Army's (IA's) ever growing logistical requirements.

While in the short term, quick buys of American platforms through the foreign military sales (FMS) route such as Boeing's C-17 Globemaster III and Lockheed Martin's C-130Js have been effected, it is clear that the IAF's requirements need to be actually used to spur the progressive indigenization of its transport aircraft pool. Moreover the IAF's transport aircraft needs could well be used to seed a second domestic original equipment maker (OEM) besides HAL from within India's private sector.

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6 Feb 2015 By: Arie Egozi - FG

Lockheed Martin's C-130J tactical transport is being further integrated in the Israeli defence forces' new Depth Command capabilities, with one of the service's examples having conducted a first paratroop drop during an exercise on 4 February. The parachute training was conducted near Palmachim air base in central Israel. Thirty cadets from the parachuting instruction course of the Flight and Special Training Center (FSTC) jumped from the C-130J "Samson".

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Nov. 17, 2014 by Arie Egozi - FG

Tel Aviv - The Israeli air force is adding the newly introduced Lockheed Martin C-130J to its long-range operational capabilities, having recently performed a proving flight that helped to develop its tactics for using the"Samson". During the long-range flight, the air force conducted a sortie over the skies of Greece, Romania and Bulgaria.

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August 08, 2014 defense-aerospace.com/

(Source: U.S Department of Defense; issued August 06, 2014)

Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Georgia, has been awarded a $116,717,704 firm-fixed-price modification (P00001) to FA8625-14-C-6450 for advance procurement funding for long lead parts for production aircraft associated with 14 fiscal 2015 C-130J aircraft.

Work will be performed at Marietta, Georgia, and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2015. Fiscal 2014 advance procurement funds in the amount of $116,717,704 are being obligated at time of award.

Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center/WLNNC, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

09.04.2014 Noa Fenigstein - iaf.org.il

This week, the Hercules C-130J, an advanced transport plane, will land at Nevatim airbase. Not many people know that the procurement deal became one of the most complex deals the IAF has ever known. What is behind one of the IAF's most expensive and significant procurement deals in recent years?

This week, the Hercules C-130J plane, one of the best transport planes in the world, will land at Nevatim airbase and will join the ranks of the IAF and the Heavy Transport Division. Against the backdrop of the defense budget cuts, the Hercules C-130J procurement deal became one of the largest, most complex and most challenging processes the IAF and the Ministry of Defense- the Budget Department in particular-have experienced in recent years.

Cuts in the defense budget in the IAF and the IDF have forced decision-makers to take drastic measures: squadrons have been consolidated and even the human resources have been hurt following the dismissal of many commissioned officers. Nonetheless, the IAF has had to remain vigilant and stand firm against the challenges of the day.

"Usually, the people who work in the Budget Department know how to come and say 'these are the resources, good luck'. But that's definitely not our approach", explained Major Galit Golan, Head of Transport Procurements at the Budget Department. "We bring the solutions, we understand the operational needs and we are connected to them".

The Battle Between The Real and The Ideal

The IAF is not economic entity, so when economic considerations are balanced against operational considerations, the latter far outweighs the former, which held true in the purchase of the Hercules C-130J. How would the department reconcile the purchase with the economic reality? "If we decided that we were going to buy the platform and were going to direct the IAF to that point, the Budget department would have to do its best to make it happen", explained Major Galit. "However, there is a lack of resources and we need to find creative solutions in order give the IAF the best answers and that's where the tension starts".

07.04.2014 Shani Pomes - iaf.org.il

This week, the IAF is expected to become stronger with the landing of the latest transport plane, the Hercules C-130J "Shimshon" (Hebrew for Samson). The IAF's new acquisition is capable of carrying much more than its sister plane, the Hercules H, and will be equipped with advanced Israeli systems which will extend the strategic arm of the IAF

This week, it's finally happening: after long anticipation and much preparation, the Hercules C-130J will land at the Nevatim airbase and will join the ranks of the IAF. The latest plane will join the Heavy Transport Division of the force and will add advanced capabilities to the long arm of the IAF.

Big, Accurate, Strong And Safe

The IAF purchased the long version of the Hercules C-130J from Lockheed- Martin which allows for an improved carrying capacity: instead of 64 paratroopers the short version can carry, the Hercules C-130J can accommodate in its cargo hold 92 paratroopers and their equipment. Alternatively, the cargo hold can accommodate four military SUVs instead of three, or transport 128 soldiers.

"The more cargo a plane is able to take, the fewer the trips that are necessary to accumulate power on the battlefield", explains Lieutenant Colonel Uri, commander of the "Elephants" squadron. "Also, there is cargo that cannot be put in a short plane and can only be put in a long plane". A tour of the cockpit of the Hercules C-130J reveals cutting-edge technology: in addition to the digital screens and the advanced displays, the new plane is equipped with new systems that streamline the aircraft maintenance work and allow the technicians to gain information on the routine operations and the malfunctions. Many of the systems that will be installed in the plane are Israeli-made and will make the Hercules C-130J stand out from Hercules planes around the world.

Working With Ground Forces

The installation of the Israeli systems in the Hercules C-130J was carried out in the production line of the planes in the United States and after the plane lands in Israel, additional systems will be installed. This is one step in the integration process of the IAF platform, during which the Hercules C-130J will undergo test flights at the Test Flight Center and, simultaneously, the air crews of the "Elephants" squadron will begin training on it.

"The Hercules C-130J is a plane whose main missions mostly include tactical transport of forces and cargo for long and short distances, in large amounts and with high accuracy", adds Lieutenant Colonel Uri. "The plane will mostly work with ground forces and to their benefit: it will transport forces, rescue them and know how to execute transport and supply missions for them with a high degree of efficiency and safety".

31 Mar 2014 By: Arie Egozi - FG

Tel Aviv - The Israeli air force's first Lockheed Martin C-130J tactical transport will arrive on 9 April, with preparations at Nevatim air base now complete.

The delivery of the first C-130J "Samson" is a major milestone in the reorganisation of the air force's Hercules squadrons. This will culminate with the operational consolidation of its two existing units, with the "Elephants" squadron to be absorbed into the "Knights of the yellow bird". The former will operate the new C-130Js, while the latter mainly uses upgraded H-model examples.

In June 2013 Lockheed delivered the first of four on-order C-130Js to Israel at its Marietta site in Georgia, ahead of the airframer supporting training activities in the USA. The remaining three transports will be delivered towards the end of this year and in early 2015.

The Israeli air force has also made a formal proposal for an additional two aircraft, and sources say a contract is in the final stages of processing.

Israel's new-generation Hercules have a cockpit configured for three crew members, similar to that used by US special forces. They will also be modified post-delivery to carry some Israeli-produced systems.

Flightglobal's Ascend Online advisory service shows the Israeli air force as having a current active fleet of 16 Hercules, comprising 12 C-130Hs and four C-130Es. The latter are being phased out, while the H-model fleet is receiving structural treatment to extend their use.

19.02.2014 Shani Pomes - IAF

The Heavy Transport Division's new training center opens at the Nevatim airbase. The new center will train and instruct aircrews from the division, which is comprised of four different types of aircrafts and dozens of missions. The vision: a full squadron of heavy transport simulators

Nevatim airbase, located in the Negev, inaugurated a new training center for the IAF's Heavy Transport Division, which will be responsible for training from the basics to qualification maintenance.

The division currently consists of different squadrons: the "Hercules C-130" squadron, the "Boeing 707" squadron, the "Gulfstream" squadron and the soon-to-be operational "Hercules C-130J" squadron.

Yet, despite their numbers, until now there has not been a single body that concentrated the training and each squadron had to take care of its aircrews without professional assistance.

"The reason the Heavy Transport Division didn't have a training center until now was that the simulators were located abroad, outside of Israel", explains Colonel P', Head of the Training Department. "Over time, we realized that in order to operate with the correct training culture we were aiming for, we need to have a training center that would handle these issues".

"Pure training center"

The missions of the Heavy Transport Division are quite varied and as such, the new training center will have to provide an instructional, diverse and satisfactory response. To this end, a research and development section was established within the training center: a section comprised of non-commissioned officers and multimedia producers who will be responsible for the design of the training.

"Until the summer, the first aircrews will complete the construction of the work plan and starting in the summer, the center will begin working with a premade work plan. Every section of the division will start enjoying the achievements of the center and will take part in the training process", said Lieutenant Colonel Eitan, commander of the "Desert Giants" squadron which operates "Boeing 707". "This site is a pure training center, which will provide a solution to all relevant squadrons".

Coming Soon: A Training Squadron

The inauguration of the center is actually the first step among many in a long-term process of developing the instructional training in the Heavy Transport Division.

"This is only the beginning. We envision this center being part of a training squadron", adds Lieutenant Colonel Eitan.

"Even though, we currently don't have any simulators, this center is looking a few years ahead. I hope that in the future we'll see upgraded Hercules C-130 and Hercules C-130J simulators, maybe someday even a "Boeing 707" aerial refueling simulator", said Brigadier General Lihu Hacohen, commander of the Nevatim airbase. "At the end of the day, this professional training will put us, as a division, in a much better place".