Since that flight, the C-130J has continued to evolve, receiving US Federal Aviation Administration certification in September last year. This, coupled with unforeseen problems integrating and certificating the new avionics and propulsion system, led to the delays, Lockheed Martin says.įlight International first evaluated the C-130J in December 1997 when Peter Henley flew an RAAF C-130J-30, a 4.57m (15ft) stretch of the basic aircraft. As a result, the company ended up developing at least five configurations simultaneously. The company's original estimates were based on developing one USAF-standard configuration, but when the air force delayed its procurement plans, Lockheed Martin was forced to seek international launch customers. Lockheed Martin, meanwhile, has committed to cutting the C-130J's price by $10 million through lean manufacturing. The company has firm orders for 90 aircraft, about half of which have been built, but hopes to see production pick up again by 2002, when the US Air Force begins a planned 150-aircraft procurement. Lockheed Martin, meanwhile, has rebaselined the programme to write off higher than expected development costs and adjust to lower than anticipated production rates. The first RAAF aircraft will be handed over at the end of this month and the C-130J will enter RAF service in November.
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