Lockheed Martin will launch a world tour with the C-130J in February in a bid to stimulate sales for the improved Hercules transport aircraft. The 15-week tour will be conducted in five stages, using a US Air Force aircraft which is not involved in the continuing commercial-certification flight-test programme.
Countries to be visited are all considered near-term prospects for C-130J sales. The tour is to begin with a trip to southern Europe and the Middle East, including stops in Portugal, Greece and Saudi Arabia. The second leg will be to Latin America and the third to the Pacific Rim. Countries to be visited include Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
The fourth leg will involve a return to Europe, and will include an appearance at the Berlin air show and a tour through Scan-dinavia, with stops in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. A fifth leg, using a different aircraft, will involve a trip to Canada. Lockheed Martin plans to conduct demonstration flights in each country visited, arguing that it "-needs to get people in the aircraft" to sell the C-130J, which has new propulsion and avionic systems.
C-130Js have so far been sold to Australia, Italy, the UK and USA, with Norway the closest of several potential customers now being pursued. An airborne-early-warning version of the aircraft is being considered by Australia, and will be offered to Turkey.
Source: Flight International
