The Republic of the Philippines announced that its Department of National Defense (DND) will be acquiring three new C-130J-30 Super Hercules tactical airlifters from Lockheed Martin, built in the company’s plant in Marietta.
The Philippine News Agency (PNA), the official news agency of the Philippine government wrote that the cost of the contract is about PHP22.2 billion, which at today’s exchange rate would be just over $391 million.
“The additional cargo space of the C-130J-30, coupled with the reliability of C-130 aircraft we have in our current fleet, will provide our Air Force with greater operational flexibility,” DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said in a statement quoted by the PNA.
The PNA wrote, “The first C-130J is scheduled to be delivered in July 2026 and the second one in October of the same year.”
The third plane is scheduled for January 2027 delivery.
The Philippine Air Force will operate these new Super Hercules.
The Philippines has used the C-130s since the 1970s, and operates a mixed fleet of legacy C-130s.
According to the news release from Lockheed Martin, the addition of the C-130J-30 will provide increased power, range, and cargo space to meet the evolving mission requirements of the Philippine Air Force.
“Philippine Air Force crews have long demonstrated what the C-130 is designed to do: go everywhere — in any condition — to deliver hope and help where it’s needed most,” said Rod McLean, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Air Mobility & Maritime Missions line of business. “It is an honor to continue serving the Philippines with the most advanced and capable C-130 ever produced. The Super Hercules provides the Philippine Air Force with unmatched interoperability and capability, supporting challenging mission requirements across the Pacific region.”
To read the news release from Lockheed Martin with more information on the sale, follow this link to the website.
To read the article announcing the purchase in the Philippine government’s official news agency website follow this link.
Lockheed Martin and Cobb County
The Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta has been a major employer in Cobb County since 1951, when the Lockheed Corporation, a predecessor of Lockheed Martin, took over the former site of the WWII Bell Bomber plant.
The C-130 program is the largest program operating at the Marietta facility. The plant currently produces the C-130J Super Hercules (see the company’s Fast Facts on the C-130J or the company’s C-30J brochure for more information).
The Marietta plant also provides ongoing support for the C-5 Galaxy, which celebrated its 50th year in operation in 2018. The C-5 Galaxy is expected to remain in service until 2045.
The Marietta location also supports the P-3 Orion, and manufactures the center wings for the F-35.
