ROSSLYN, Va., 6 Jan. 2009. Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Coast Guard exercised contract options valued at $13.25 million to install mission systems aboard two additional HC-130J aircraft. Once delivered, these aircraft will complete the Coast Guard's planned inventory of six missionized HC-130Js, says a representative.

The aircraft's new mission equipment and sensor packages deliver enhanced search, detection, and tracking capabilities in maritime search-and-rescue, law-enforcement, and homeland-security missions.

"The mission equipment makes the Coast Guard's HC-130J, an incredibly versatile aircraft, critical to meeting today's increased mission requirements," says Mike Fralen, Deepwater Aviation lead for Lockheed Martin.

The mission-equipped HC-130J aircraft provide increased mission capability with improved fuel efficiency, higher availability, and greater range and endurance, says a representative.

The HC-130J aircraft mission system leverages technology developed for the HC-144A ("Ocean Sentry") Maritime Patrol Aircraft and its mission system pallet. The aircraft modifications include installation of a belly-mounted surface search radar, which provides 360-degree coverage to assist in search-and-rescue missions, a nose-mounted electro-optical/infrared imaging system, a flight deck mission operator station, and a mission integrated communication system.

The Lockheed Martin mission system on the HC-130J is integrated into the flight area, which allows for the operators to coordinate with the rest of the flight crew when responding to critical missions.