Marshall Aerospace has been awarded a contract to modify and perform extensive servicing on the South African Air Force’s (SAAF) fleet of 1960s-vintage C-130 Hercules aircraft.
The contract, which is worth an undisclosed sum, includes two major modifications: the installation of an Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast – Out (ADS-B Out) system and the replacement of the existing Secondary Flight Display (SFD).
ADS-B Out is an internationally required system for determining and periodically broadcasting the aircraft’s location without the use of ground-based interrogation signals. The SFD is a critical flight instrument that provides pilots with information on the aircraft’s altitude, speed, and heading.
Marshall will also perform indepth maintenance on the aircraft, which will involve comprehensive inspections, repairs, and rectification. This will ensure that the aircraft are airworthy and ready for operations.
Last May, South African military began exploring options to upgrade it’s aging C-130BZ Hercules transporters which are plagued by availability issues.
South Africa’s Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise, explained at the time that a Required Operational Capability (ROC) is in process for the upgrade of the current C-130 fleet. Upgrading the Hercules fleet will come at a cost of R1.6 billion.
The Department of Defence was allocated an additional ring-fenced funding of R1 billion in 2023/24 to enhance the country’s medium airlift transport capability. In March this year details emerged how this amount would be utilised.
The SAAF wants to use this funds in upgrading and maintaining the six remaining C-130s (the SAAF had nine serviceable aircraft but two have been written off in accidents and one has been cannibalised for spares).
South Africa plans to keep aircraft 401, 402, 405, 406, 408, and 409 flying. Aircraft 404 suffered a nose gear collapse whilst performing a touch and go in 2010. However, between now and 2029, this will cost just over R4 billion. Major servicing and upgrading of 405 and 409 can be funded, with major servicing to be done in the UK by Marshall Aerospace, which did the C-130BZ upgrade in the 1990s. 405’s major service and upgrade is scheduled for mid-2024 – this will take about 18 months.
The first of the SAAF aircraft arrived at Marshall’s facilities in Cambridge, UK on Friday, August 11, 2023. The modification work is expected to take several months to complete.
The South African air force faced with aircraft serviceability and availability issues due to constrained funding. This has been negatively affecting it’s flying hours.
The SAAF aims to have at least one or two C-130s operational at any time while the others undergo maintenance.
This is not the first time that Marshall has worked on the SAAF’s C-130 fleet. In the early 2000s, the company led a multi-year upgrade programme that included the installation of a digital autopilot, flight displays, and a navigation systems upgrade.
Under Project Ebb, Marshall Aerospace had upgraded the SAAF C-130 fleet to C-130BZ standard (three aircraft were upgraded in the UK and the remaining six in South Africa by Denel). The upgrade covered a major avionics upgrade package that gave the aircraft a modern glass cockpit.
Marshall is a leading provider of aircraft modification and servicing services. The company has a long history of working with military customers, and has a strong reputation for quality and reliability.
This contract is a significant win for Marshall, and it demonstrates the company’s expertise in the modification and servicing of military aircraft.
Meanwhile, the United States has offered a dozen C-13OH Hercules transport aircraft to the South African Air Force (SAAF) to replace its older and accident-prone C-130BZ transporters.
The twelve 1980s-era C-130H transport aircraft are been offered under the Excess Defence Articles (EDA) programme to help Pretoria fight Islamist militants in Mozambique. The United States is offering South Africa C-130H Hercules aircraft for 15.7 USD per aircraft. Howver, funds constraints is limiting the SAAF’s options.