Singapore Technologies Aerospace highlighted its integrated maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) solutions for Lockheed Martin C-130 H...
Singapore Technologies Aerospace highlighted its integrated maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) solutions for Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules airlifter at Singapore Airshow 2014.
The Lockheed Martin approved Hercules servicing centre coupled with an in-house engineering and development centre, offers a range of sevices from airframe, engine and component MRO, to landing gear and parts support, as well as customised upgrades and modernisation.
The C-130 system upgrades can include avionics upgrading from analog to digital systems, replacement of older gas turbine compressors / air turbine motors (GTC/ATM) with newer auxiliary power units (APU), upgrading of environmental control systems (ECS) to higher-cooling capacity versions etc. In terms of digital glass cockpit upgrading solutions, ST Aerospace was awarded a contract from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) in March 2007 to modernise and standardise its fleet of 10 C-130 aircraft over seven years. The first upgraded C-130 was redelivered to the RSAF in September 2010.
In December 2012, ST Aerospace was awarded a contract from the Royal Air Force of Oman, for a full scale maintenance and modernisation solution for three of its C-130 aircraft. The first C-130 was inducted in July 2013; and saw its entire modernisation programme being completed, concurrently with aircraft and engine maintenance, within a commendable turnaround time of seven months. The remaining two aircraft are to be redelivered by 2015.
The modernised C-130s will be equipped with indigenously-designed six-display digital glass cockpits, featuring enhanced main instrument panels, hydraulic displays, ergonomic man-machine interfaces and night-vision goggle compatible lightings. The newly re-delivered C-130 aircraft will also be fully Global Air Traffic Management (GATM) compliant, allowing them to navigate safely, efficiently and accurately in CNS/ATM-regulated airspace worldwide. As a result of the modernisation effort, the service life of the aircraft is expected to be extended by another 20 years. To date, ST Aerospace has redelivered more than 570 C-130 aircraft, providing nose to tail solutions.
