Boeing

The Boeing Company has been selected to perform the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program, which has a total potential value of approximately $4 billion. The company was notified today of its selection by the U.S. Air Force Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Final contracts will be signed pending program approval by the Defense Department's Defense Acquisition Board.

Under the program, Boeing will develop a modern, common cockpit avionics system for the approximately 500 C-130 transport aircraft in Air Force service.

The new avionics system features six digital displays and the proven flight management system from the 737 commercial airliner, both of which provide navigation, safety and communication improvements to meet Global Air Traffic Management requirements. Overall, the modernization effort offers improved workload management for flight crews as well as reduced total ownership costs for the C-130 fleet.

Aircraft modifications will be performed by the company at its Boeing Aerospace Support Center in San Antonio, Texas, as well as by the Air Force at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Ga., and Ogden Air Logistics Center, Utah. Modification kit installations will begin in 2004 and continue through 2014, and will reach a rate of about 70 per year at peak production.

"The C-130 AMP represents a major milestone in the convergence of military and civil avionics technology," said David Spong, president of Boeing Military Aerospace Support. "We brought a broad spectrum of capabilities from both the military and commercial components of Boeing, and from our supplier teammates, to offer a low-risk, affordable and highly capable solution to the C-130 AMP program.

"Our open-system architecture approach benefits from the Boeing investment in the Bold Stroke avionics technology, synergy with our C-17 Globemaster III avionics system, and our proven large-scale avionics integration experience," Spong said.

"The U.S. Air Force evaluation was exceptionally thorough and comprehensive," he added. "I am very proud of our team, which brought the best of Boeing and our supplier teammates together to compete successfully for this critical modernization program."

Key suppliers to Boeing on the program include Smiths Industries, Northrop Grumman, Honeywell, Rockwell Collins and Telephonics.

Boeing has completed some of the most complex avionics challenges, including the F-22 Raptor, F-15E Strike Eagle, E-3 AWACS, T-38C Talon, AC-130U Gunship, AH-64D Apache Longbow and state-of-the-art Boeing commercial airliners like the 777 and 737 Next-Generation series. Through the Military Aerospace Support business, Boeing provides low-risk, affordable upgrade solutions to post-production aircraft and rotorcraft as well.

By focusing its modernization and upgrades capabilities; maintenance and modification centers; training systems and services; contractor logistics support and services; and sustainment data and spares and technical data competencies in the Military Aerospace Support business, Boeing is the only major airframe manufacturer with an integrated organization structured to provide total life-cycle customer support for military aircraft and weapons systems.

01-75