Rep. Carney looking to modernize approach to USAF aircraft upgrade program

Congressman John Carney joined Delaware National Guard and Air National Guard leaders and personnel Monday in New Castle to push for passage of his C-130 Modernization Act.

[caption id="attachment_68493" align="alignright" width="300"]https://www.wdde.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/C-130H-Carney-300x184.jpg U.S. Rep. John Carney (D) exits from the side of a C-130H military transport aircraft.[/caption]

Carney’s legislation - which he introduced in July - would alter the current Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) to allow the Air Force secretary the option to either pursue the full, and more costly, refurbishments to the nation’s fleet of C-130 transport aircraft – or make improvements to navigation systems only, to ensure compliance with FAA and international safety requirements that go into effect in 2020.

The US Air Force plans to abandon the AMP following a cost-benefit study showing that upgrading only the navigation controls would cost one fourth of the entire program.

Carney’s C-130 Modernization Act would forgo additional improvements - saving up to $12 million per plane.

Carney says the AMP made more sense when authorized in 2001 but now requires an updated approach.

“It’s had cost overruns and delays that have affected the way it’s being implemented and whether or not it would get the return-on-investment that was anticipated," he said. "If these upgrades were made five or more years ago, then it might be a different calculation.”

Delaware Air National Guard Colonel Mike Feeley says intelligently modernizing the C-130 H fleet is a reasonable approach.

[caption id="attachment_68492" align="alignright" width="300"]https://www.wdde.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/C-130Ha-300x184.jpg The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally in the 1950's by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. This particular plane is one of the many C-130H models built between 1964 and 1996.[/caption]

“These planes, if we put updates in them we can get another 15 or so years - maybe 20 years - out [of them], depending on what we decide to do," said Feeley. "However at some point, it is better operationally and financially to have newer planes.”

The C-130H aircraft is the military’s primary combat delivery aircraft and is flown by Air National Guard units in Delaware and 17 additional states.

The military has lent their support to a cost-effective modernization solution – and Carney’s proposed legislation would cost one fourth of the current program – saving twelve million dollars on the cost of improvements to each plane.

Carney introduced the bipartisan legislation in July to prevent possible job losses in the event of non-compliance.

He adds his bill doesn’t cancel the AMP, but provides flexibility in allowing the Air Force to decide to pursue a targeted approach or move forward with full upgrades.