Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group is celebrating the 20th anniversary of supporting the Royal Netherlands Air Force C-130 fleet.
In 1996 Marshall was awarded the contract to support the Royal Netherlands Air Force fleet of C-130H’s and throughout the development of the C-130 fleet Marshall has continued to support the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
Marshall completed the CUP (Cockpit Upgrade Programme) in 2005 which was followed by the groundbreaking TACAMO contract where two ex-US Navy EC-130Qs were converted to C-130Hs which included the CUP configuration. 2006 also marked the establishment of the engineering office in Leiden, the Netherlands.
Further capability insertion, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance and technical support agreements were put in place to sustain and increase the availability and capability of the fleet of four aircraft.
Rupert Dix, Managing Director of Military Aerospace at Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group commented: “We are incredibly proud to support the Royal Netherlands Air Force fleet of C-130 aircraft and over the last twenty years, we have jointly focussed upon improving availability and affordability through innovation.”
Major General Sotthewes, Deputy Commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, commented: "Throughout the years we have transformed the relationship into one of cooperation and partnering. The Royal Netherlands Air Force provides the operational input, while Marshall delivers the engineering solutions. A proven and rock solid combination. If technical problems arise, Marshall is immediately around to support the Royal Netherlands Air Force. This focus on customer's true needs really distinguishes Marshall in the aerospace industry."
Steve Fitz-Gerald, CEO of Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group commented: “I am immensely proud of this milestone; it is testament to the spirit and partnership of everyone involved over the last two decades and I look forward to what we can achieve in the future”.