UK company Marshall has completed an upgrade activity on the Austrian air force’s three-strong fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130K tactical transports.
The final updated aircraft departed the company’s Cambridge airport site in eastern England on 30 August, having received navigation system updates.
“In 2020 the Austrian air force identified a number of new areas to improve navigation functions and availability, and proposed a joint investigation and development project with Marshall to design a bespoke suite of modifications,” says the MRO provider, which has supported the nations’ Hercules airlifters since 2003.
Enhancements include “coupling the GPS landing system sensor units’ approach capability to the flight director/autopilot”, and changes to displays relaying information such as magnetic heading and vertical speed, the company says.
“Building our excellent working relationship, we were able to partner with the customer all the way from defining operational requirements through to developing a bespoke programme and testing and certification,” says Marshall chief operating officer Gareth Williams.
Austria will end operations with its C-130Ks by 2030, with the nation to field four Embraer C-390s as replacements. The Brazilian-built twinjets are being acquired via a joint contract with the Netherlands, which is purchasing five examples as successors for its H-model Hercules.
Originally used by the UK Royal Air Force, Austria’s current airframes entered service in 1967-1968, Cirium fleets data shows.
