Elbit Systems has been awarded a $62 million contract to upgrade South Korea's inventory of Lockheed Martin C-130 tactical transports.
To be conducted in cooperation with Korea Aerospace Industries, the contract will lead to the Republic of Korea Air Force's C-130s receiving advanced electronic systems and new glass cockpits, with the latter to include Elbit digital flight displays.
Announced by the Israeli company on 24 June, the project will be performed over a four-year period.
South Korea has an active fleet of 12 C-130H Hercules, including four stretched-fuselage -30 examples, says Flightglobal's MiliCAS database. It records these as having been delivered between 1987 and 1990. It also has four new-generation C-130Js on order, with deliveries expected from 2014.
Yoram Shmuely, co-general manager of Elbit's aerospace division, says the company hopes its new contract with Seoul will create the potential for additional deals with legacy C-130 operators. It has also previously conducted modernisation work on the type for Romania.
Source: Flight International
