The Government of Canada has announced an investment of approximately US$1.15 billion for the maintenance and modernization of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) fleet of CC-130J Hercules aircraft.
According to Defence Blog, the package was divided into two contract amendments signed with Lockheed Martin. The first, valued at US$462.5 million, extends operational support for the fleet until June 2029. The second, estimated at US$684.3 million, will fund the upgrade program known as RCAF 105.
According to the Canadian government, the upgrades are expected to include improvements to avionics, communications systems and the aircraft’s operational capabilities, allowing the Hercules fleet to continue supporting tactical transport missions, logistics support, training and humanitarian operations.
Defence Procurement Secretary of State Stephen Fuhr described the amendments as ensuring that “our members have the advanced equipment they need to do their jobs and keep Canadians safe.”
In addition, the modernization effort will also have an industrial impact within Canada. Authorities say the program is expected to support hundreds of jobs in the Canadian aerospace sector, including partner companies involved in installing and integrating the upgrades.
The CC-130J Hercules aircraft are considered one of the country’s main military transport platforms and have been used in both domestic operations and international missions. Canada began acquiring the fleet in 2007 to replace older Hercules versions in service.
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Source and images: Creative Commons | Royal Canadian Air Force. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
