Onward the Super Galaxy

The Pentagon acquisition leadership is expected to approve full-rate production for Lockheed Martin’s C-5 Reliability Enhancement and Re-Engining Program on Thursday, according to company officials. Already the Air Force has taken delivery of four of the 52 C-5s set to receive this upgrade, along with new avionics under a separate initiative, that transforms the aircraft into the new, more capable C-5M Super Galaxy configuration. The company’s production line in Marietta, Ga., will ramp up to modifying 11 C-5s per year at full rates, and finally 12 in the final year before the program concludes in 2016. Lorraine Martin, Lockheed’s C-5 vice president, said last week the company could accommodate two more aircraft annually without adding more tooling, should the Air Force decide to expand RERP and upgrade its C-5As now outside of the program. (For more, read Super Galaxy from the Air Force Magazine archives.)