RTX’s Collins Aerospace has entered into three-year support agreements aimed at strengthening logistics, availability, and lifecycle sustainment for C-130 Hercules wheels and brakes. The agreements involve Integrated Procurement Technologies, S3 AeroDefense, and Derco, and are designed to improve fleet readiness and supply chain responsiveness for both US and allied operators. Collins’ wheel and brake systems, which use DURACARB carbon technology, are already installed on more than 30,000 commercial and military aircraft worldwide. For C-130 fleets in particular, consistent access to these components is critical to sustaining missions ranging from combat logistics and airborne resupply to disaster relief and humanitarian operations. The agreements align with broader efforts across the US military and partner nations to extend the service life of the C-130 platform through sustainment, modernization, and performance-based logistics. In January, Lockheed Martin’s Derco secured a Defense Logistics Agency contract focused on improving spare-parts availability, inventory management, and engineering support for the Hercules fleet. The US government has also reinforced allied C-130 capabilities through transfer programs, including the delivery of a C-130H aircraft to the Philippine Air Force in February 2024 under the Excess Defense Articles program, enhancing regional airlift and humanitarian response capacity.
