The US Air Force has partnered with StandardAero on a $343-million effort to provide depot-level services for the Rolls-Royce T56 propulsion systems powering the military’s Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules airlifters.
The agreement requests the company repair and overhaul the engines, associated modules, and components across various configurations.
Work supports more than 1,200 C-130 aircraft operated by the US Armed Forces and 29 foreign military sales partners, including Canada, Italy, and Taiwan.
The deal will run for 10 years, with progress to be coordinated with the Air Force Sustainment Center at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.
StandardAero will perform the work in San Antonio, Texas. Turbopower and Segers Aero Corp. also secured positions on the competitive contract, performing work in Florida and Alabama, as well as additional activities in Winnipeg, Canada.
“StandardAero is honored to continue our partnership with the US Air Force in support of the T56 engine program,” said Rick Pataky, VP and general manager of StandardAero San Antonio.
“Having supported the Air Force’s T56 fleet for more than 25 years, this award reflects our team’s proven technical expertise, commitment to mission readiness and ability to deliver dependable, high-quality MRO solutions for military operators around the world.”
The Rolls-Royce T56
The C-130 uses Rolls-Royce T56 technology to fly at 320 knots (368 miles/593 kilometers per hour), cover a range of 2,050 nautical miles (2,359 miles/3,797 kilometers per hour), and maintain a service ceiling of up to 33,000 feet (10,058 meters).
Beyond the proven military transport aircraft, the engine powers the Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion anti-submarine warfare and hurricane hunters, as well as the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye spy plane.
Since its inception, the T56 has logged more than 18,000 units manufactured.
It has been fielded in 70 countries and has completed more than 230 million hours of flight time.