The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)will have to carry out significant post-delivery test and certification work because of delays in the Lockheed Martin C-130J programme.
The delays have resulted in a fourfold increase in USFederal Aviation Administration certification test requirements, delaying the introduction of the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) C-130J to mid-1999, about two years beyond the original projected in-service date, says strategic airlift capability project manager Wg Cdr Chris Gash.
The A$1.2 billion ($677 million) fixed price contract with Lockheed Martin includes 12 C-130Js to replace the RAAF's C-130E fleet, and includes the purchase of training systems and logistic support.
It is not known if compensation payments are being paid by Lockheed Martin as a result of the delays, although similar delays to UK Royal Air Force C-130J deliveries are expected to result in a large compensation payment. The first C-130J was delivered to the RAF late last month. The UK aircraft was not required to be commercially certificated, but it was also two years late.
Although it was not contemplated when the contract was signed, four RAAF designated aircraft and 19 personnel including a test pilot and a flight test engineer are now participating in the Lockheed Martin test programme. The RAAF plans an in-house post-delivery test programme which will expand the certification basis incrementally, to allow the aircraft to carry out missions now performed by C-130Es.
"C-130J development was a commercial venture funded by Lockheed Martin. The fact has significant implications for us as lead customer in a range of areas including certification. At contract signature we placed great reliance on FAA certification, but for a number of reasons we have had to assume a greater than expected certification burden," Gash says. The size of the military certification task is much expanded.
Source: Flight International
