Lockheed Martin is fighting a US Air Force decision not to rerun all elements of a more than $5 billion deal improperly awarded to Boeing in 2001. The USAF C-130 Systems Group, which manages the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) contract, has been asked to respond to a second protest from Lockheed. The company first challenged Boeing's grip on the AMP development, production and installation work last year, when former USAF acquisition official Darleen Druyun pleaded guilty to improperly favouring Boeing for contracts, including the C-130 upgrade. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) in February upheld its protest and the USAF said it would rerun the production and installation phases after 2009. Lockheed is challenging the decision to leave Boeing as the AMP kit developer, as the GAO recommended it should also consider rerunning development and production.
Source: Flight International
