10/25/2006 - WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Air Force officials announced today the multiyear procurement contract for the C-130J has been converted from a Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12 to a FAR 15 contract. In order to comply with the fiscal year 2006 National Defense Authorization Act, the C-130J contract has been converted from the existing commercial item procurement to a traditional military procurement to purchase aircraft in fiscal year 06. The conversion involved repricing 39 aircraft, resulting in institutional net savings of $168M. "The Air Force, with the Congressional leadership and support of Senator John McCain and in conjunction with Lockheed Martin, has made this a better contract vehicle that provides the government the cost insight it needs to procure aircraft for the Air Force and Marine Corps," said Sue Payton, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. "The Air Force acquisition community looks forward to working closely with Congress in future acquisition reform initiatives." The C-130J is a key component of the intra-theater airlift modernization effort and brings a variety of capabilities to joint war fighter and humanitarian operations. Those capabilities include: worldwide airland, assault (including semi-prepared surfaces), tactical arrival/departure, single ship/Night Vision Goggle low-level, NVG airland, NVG assault, Container Delivery System airdrop, personnel airdrop, and heavy equipment airdrop. Lockheed Martin is the contractor for the C-130J. For more information about the C-130J please call the Air Force Press Desk at (703) 695-0640.
