A C-130J Super Hercules carrying Afghan personnel taxis on the ramp at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, Aug. 31, 2021. (Staff Sgt. Kenneth Boyton/U.S. Air Force)
TROY, Ohio (Tribune News Service) — The U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin have chosen Collins Aerospace to provide boltless wheels and carbon brakes for 60 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, Collins said.
Collins' equipment replaces the platform's legacy steel brakes, helping the Air Force reduce maintenance time and costs, while increasing aircraft availability, the Troy company said.
A value for the contract was not given in Collins' announcement.
Collins will manufacture the C-130J wheels and brakes at its Waco Street facility here, where the company has been named an "elite supplier" by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics for five years.
Collins' Troy facility supplies wheels and carbon brakes for several Lockheed Martin platforms, including the F-16 Fighting Falcon, U-2 Dragon Lady and LM-100J, the commercial freighter derivative of the C-130J military airlifter.
"Our equipment will simplify aircraft maintenance and increase safety — ultimately helping our warfighters execute their missions with increased efficiency and success," Matt Maurer, general manager, military landing systems said in a Collins announcement. "This selection builds on our longstanding relationships with the U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin as a premier wheel and brake supplier with a proven record of performance."
Collins' C-130 brakes, which feature its Duracarb® carbon heat sink material, can allow for up to 2,000 landings per overhaul — compared to 250 landings per overhaul experienced by operators of the C-130′s current system.
"That lifespan is eight times longer, significantly reducing maintenance time and cost," Collins said. "At the same time, Collins' brakes are capable of handling higher energy than the aircraft's existing equipment, which increases the safety margin when stopping heavily loaded C-130s."
Collins is a provider of wheels and brakes for military platforms, including the Air Force's F-15, F-16, C-5, C-130 and Global Hawk fleets. Earlier this year, the company was selected by the U.S. Air Force to design and develop a new wheel and carbon brake for the B-52. Collins has also completed wheel and brake upgrades for several air forces around the globe.
(c)2021 the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio)
Visit the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) at www.daytondailynews.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
