Article Posted on : - May 28, 2010

C-130J Super Hercules tanker. A file photo.

MARIETTA (BNS): US government has awarded a $245 million defence contract to Lockheed Martin for supplying three KC 130J tanker aircraft to Kuwait under the Foreign Military Sale programme.

The deal will be managed by the US Navy.

“We are proud to add yet another country to the growing worldwide C-130J community, the combination of tanking and airlift mission shows the tremendous versatility of this proven aircraft. KC-130Js have been used in high-tempo operations for the last five years and will provide Kuwait with an effective, efficient and reliable multi-mission capability,” Jim Grant, Lockheed Martin vice president for C-130 business development, said in a company news release.

The new KC-130Js for Kuwait Air Force will provide aerial refueling support to its F-18 fleet. They will also perform air mobility, disaster relief and humanitarian missions throughout the world.

According to the release, using only wing and external tanks, the KC-130J has a 57,500 pound fuel offload capability. The KC 130J is configured to accept a fuselage tank, adding another 24,392 pounds of available fuel. The standard probe-and-drogue configuration of the KC 130J is suited for both fixed and rotary wing aircraft. In addition to aerial and ground refueling, the KC-130J has the same airlift capability as non-tanker variants — including airdrop and paradrop.

The delivery of the first KC-130J to Kuwait is scheduled for late 2013 and the complete delivery will be done by early 2014.