Lockheed Martin wins $84.3 million contract to deliver training technology to U.S. Air Force C-130J program

Posted by Courtney E. HowardORLANDO, Fla., 15 Sept. 2011. The U.S. Air Force officials recognized a need for weapons systems trainers throughout the organization. They found their solution from Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT). Lockheed Martin won an $84.3 million U.S. Air Force contract to deliver four weapons systems trainers for aircrew instruction and provide program management and engineering services in the first phase of the C-130J Maintenance and Aircrew Training System (MATS) II program.

Air Mobility Command, Air Combat Command, and Air Force Special Operations Command personnel expect to begin instructing with the weapons systems trainers in 2014. The training systems sport an electronic motion platform, an enhanced visual system, and distributed mission operations networking, enabling aircrews to train with remote and virtual participants.

"These new systems will help the Air Force maximize aircrew and maintenance training while minimizing costs of operating aircraft for training," says Jim Weitzel, vice president of training and engineering services in Lockheed Martin's Global Training and Logistics business. "The training systems allow personnel to practice airmanship skills, operational missions and emergency and maintenance tasks in a low risk, high benefit environment."