Centre wing box replacement: adding decades to C-130 lifespans
Centre wing box replacement: adding decades to C-130 lifespans The legendary longevity of the …
Modernisation programmes
The Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules remains the global tactical airlift platform of choice, having been in continuous production for longer than any other military aircraft in history. The airframe’s unmatched longevity is one of its hallmarks, with some aircraft built over 60 years ago still in operation today.
While operating a fleet of legacy C-130 aircraft is an extremely viable and cost-effective way to maintain tactical capability, maximising the lifespan of this legendary aircraft will require regular upgrades to ensure continued airworthiness and compliance with evolving aerospace regulations.
Marshall has an exceptional track record in delivering multi-year upgrade programmes designed to ensure that any C-130 aircraft can continue to support tactical operations around the world for many decades to come. We are also able to self-certify our own work, eliminating potential points of failure while ensuring we deliver a high-quality end-to-end solution for our customers.
Structural modernisation
Having replaced almost every major structural component on the C-130 without OEM involvement from Lockheed Martin, Marshall occupies a leading position in the non-standard repair and replacement market. We have even developed bespoke jacking and trestling instructions and equipment to allow significant structural items to be refurbished and replaced efficiently and to the highest standards.
Centre wing box replacement
The centre wing box is a fatigue-life item that will require replacement to ensure the continued airworthiness of the aircraft - no major C-130 structural component attracts such a high operational load.
Marshall is recognised by OEM Lockheed Martin as the world's first authorised Centre of Excellence for centre wing box replacements on the C-130 Hercules aircraft and remains the only maintenance, repair and overhaul organisation to have performed centre wing box replacement on both C-130K and C-130J aircraft - an exceptionally complex modification that can only be undertaken with dedicated facilities, tooling and knowhow. To date, we have replaced the centre wing boxes on more than 70 legacy C-130 aircraft and, more recently, eight C-130J aircraft.
"We are incredibly proud to have added yet another world-first to our C-130 engineering credentials. This recognition from Lockheed Martin reinforces our position as an industry leader in non-standard repair and replacement, and demonstrates the strength of our capability enhancement offering."
Bob Baxter
Chief Growth Officer, Marshall
The latest Enhanced Service Life (ESL) centre wing box produced by Lockheed Martin boasts significant structural enhancements, offering a fatigue life approximately double or triple that of the C-130J’s original centre wing box.
Benefits of centre wing box replacements
- Replacing the centre wing box will effectively re-life the C-130J aircraft, minimising the likelihood of further replacements and maximising the life of the C-130J aircraft
- A low risk, cost effective solution building on Marshall's unique learnings from the RAF C-130J centre wing box replacement programme
- Rarely inspected interfacing structure will be inspected during the process; highly loaded major structural components on the fuselage will be replaced, saving future replacement costs
- Marshall will replace the centre-wing-to-fuselage fairings with removable fairings to aid future maintenance and inspections, reducing future maintenance duration
- Existing 20-year-old plumbing (including auxiliary fuel tank cells) and wiring within the centre wing box will be replaced, with removed hardware/components available for servicing and retention as spare stock
“Recognizing Marshall as the first Lockheed Martin-approved Centre of Excellence for its work leading the C-130 centre wing box replacement program is a natural choice.”
Rod McLean
Vice President and General Manager of the Air Mobility & Maritime Missions, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Working in collaboration with Lockheed Martin, Marshall performs centre wing box replacement in a specially refurbished state-of-the-art hangar, harnessing our extensive C-130 deep maintenance and modification expertise, along with the use of lean processes, to remove and reinstall the new centre wing box as quickly and efficiently as possible.
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Other major structural repairs, replacements and refurbishments we perform include:
- Flight deck window doubler repairs and replacements
- Engine truss mount repair and replacement (including force-mate bushing installation)
- Inner and outer wing attachment (rainbow) fitting replacements
- MLG beams, fuselage beam caps and belly skin replacements
- Sloping longeron (FS737-FS1041), upper BL61 and BL20 longeron repairs and replacements
- Centre wing drag angles, chine angle and chine cap repair and replacement
Case Study - fuselage stretch programme
Over the course of three years, Marshall performed an unprecedented fuselage stretch programme for the UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF). By adding two new fuselage sections to 29 C-130 aircraft, we were able to extend their total length by 15 feet and increase cargo compartment volume by roughly a third.
The OEM-supplied parts comprised a 100 inch plug for the front section of the aircraft, and an 80 inch section between the wing and the para troop doors. In addition to fitting the new sections into place, Marshall fully adapted the aircraft’s systems and wiring.
These aircraft flew for years and completed many vital missions, ferrying supplies and undertaking medevac sorties, among other duties.
Avionics modernisation
Marshall has decades of expertise in avionics modernisation, overseeing comprehensive programmes from start to finish including design, installation, commissioning, testing and self-certifying.
We can perform avionics studies on any C-130 fleet, creating bespoke modernisation packages to address obsolescence, provide operational capability enhancements and ensure compliance with international aviation regulations. Our experienced test pilots work alongside a dedicated engineering team to evaluate the suitability and usability of all upgrades.
“We are proud of the strong relationship the AAF and Marshall have cultivated since 2003.
“The completion of this major navigation upgrade is a testament to the capabilities and expertise of Marshall’s team, and will yield significant operational benefits for our C-130K fleet.”
Col. Wolfgang Weichselberger
Austrian Military Attaché to the UK
Avionics modernisations we provide
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Communication systems
- UHF comms including secure and encryption
- VHF comms and datalink
- HF comms
- Intercom systems including wireless intercoms
- Satellite communication (SATCOM)
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Operational enhancements
- Enhanced vision systems
- Electro-optic turrets
- Night vision imaging systems (flight deck, cargo bay and external lighting)
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Navigation systems
- Standby instrumentation
- Heading reference
- Electronic flight bags
- Flight management systems
- Digital maps
- Primary and navigation display systems
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Surveillance systems
- Traffic collision avoidance systems (TCAS)
- Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) out
- Weather radar
- Mode 5 identification friend or foe (IFF)
- Cockpit voice recorder and digital flight data recorder (CVR/DFDR)
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Aircraft and crew protection
- Chaff and flare
- Radar warning receivers (RWR)
- Missile approach warning system (MAWS)
- Directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM)
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Command and control/ISR
- Tactical data link (Link 16)
In addition to conducting avionics modernisation programmes ourselves, we are able to provide third party organisations located near our customers with service bulletin kits containing all parts, components and instructions needed to perform the same modifications, while also training local technicians on the modification implementation process.
Case Study – Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) cockpit upgrade and cabin safety improvement
As part of one of Marshall’s most extensive and complex engineering projects to date, we undertook a comprehensive avionics upgrade for four legacy RNLAF aircraft, comprising a cockpit upgrade programme (CUP) and a cabin safety improvement programme (CSIMP).
To learn more about these broader projects and our comprehensive overhaul work for RNLAF.
Through-life support
We meet our through-life commitments with a Continued Airworthiness Management Programme that provides the evidence needed to underwrite safe operation throughout the life of a component or structure.
We have the experience and capability to produce, procure and test spares at both platform and system level, drawing on our in-house production expertise and mature global supply chain.
We can undertake all aspects of component repair and refurbishment, with all repairs designed to maintain airworthiness and structural integrity while reducing fatigue.
Supply chain management
We manage the global supply chain for our products and the components we install, leveraging our long-term relationships with equipment and material OEMs to provide the required expertise at the right time in the right place.
Our supply chain processes are audited to AS9100 standard and our extensive knowledge of export regulations, including ITAR, helps ensure we maintain a compliant, sustainable and socially responsible procurement process.
We offer extensive warehouse and distribution services, including the capability to hold inventory in our fully bonded and climate-controlled storage space. Our warehouse team undertake all goods receipts, inspection, storage and handling of parts, including dangerous goods.
