Marshall Aerospace has secured a substantial contract with the Austrian Air Force for upgrade of the avionic systems within their fleet of three C-130 aircraft.

The upgrades will be extensive and include the replacement of the aircrafts’ autopilot and radar altimeter systems, software updates to their transponders and flight management systems and the replacement of analogue instruments with multifunction LCD displays (as part of the colloquial “glass cockpit” upgrade) that will provide CNS/ATM compliant systems

Steve Fitz-Gerald, CEO, Marshall Aerospace, commented: “We have supported the Austrian Air Force’s fleet of C-130s since they purchased these ex-RAF aircraft in 2002, and we therefore know the aircraft and the customer extremely well. Support to date has consisted of standard MRO work, but these critical upgrades will encompass a major avionic overhaul for each aircraft. We are therefore honoured that the Austrian Air Force has entrusted us with the important task ahead.”

Marshall Aerospace will perform the upgrades (plus associated testing and certifications), at Cambridge, commencing with the first aircraft in August 2012, and with all three returned to service by early 2015.

Marshall Aerospace press release