Boeing officials announced Thursday during a media teleconference that the Pentagon has approved the C-130 avionics modernization program for low-rate initial production. Under C-130 AMP, Boeing has developed a new digital cockpit, new communications and navigation gear, and night-vision-goggle capability for about 220 legacy Air Force C-130H transports. During LRIP, Boeing will supply 20 upgrade kits, five of which it will also install. The Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Georgia will install another 10, while a competitively selected third party fits the remaining five. Boeing has already delivered the first two AMP kits to Warner Robins. The first two C-130s slated for upgrade will be inducted there in August and October, respectively. These two aircraft will then join the three AMP test aircraft, now being upgraded to an operational configuration, for initial operational test and evaluation, scheduled to start by late Fiscal 2011 at Little Rock AFB, Ark. (Boeing release)
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.