ORLANDO, Fla., February 15th, 2011 — The U.S. Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] a $270 million contract for C-130 Aircrew Training Systems (ATS), to provide an affordable and effective academic and simulation training program for C-130 aircrews around the world.

The eight-year contract includes training and instruction, site management, engineering support, and operation and maintenance for the aircrew training devices. Training is provided for all aircrew positions, cockpit resource management, instrument refresher courses and instructor preparatory courses.

“The C-130 ATS program has an unrivaled track record in delivering critical, on-time training to pilots and aircrews,” said Jim Weitzel, vice president of Training and Engineering Services at Lockheed Martin Global Training and Logistics. “We aim to deliver an agile and affordable solution that gives trainees the ability to successfully prepare for the real-world scenarios they will face. Our team has met 100 percent of the student requirements throughout the last decade.”

The C-130 ATS schoolhouse is the Department of Defense’s formal C-130 training center for all U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard forces. Primarily based at Little Rock Air Force Base (AFB), Ark., the C-130 ATS also provides training at five other installations including Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga., Dyess AFB, Texas, McChord AFB, Wash., Minneapolis Air National Guard Base, Minn., and Yokota Air Base, Japan. Annually, nearly 12,000 students from more than 25 countries depend on the C-130 ATS for their training needs.

Source and photo: Lockheed Martin