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http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2011/12/pictures-lockheed-unveils-two.html

Lockheed unveils two future C-130 variants

Lockheed Martin has quietly launched two new variants of the 57-year-old (and counting!) C-130 Hercules. The C-130XJ and the C-130NG both appeared in a presentation by Ralph Heath, executive vice president of Lockheed's Aeronautics division, on 1 December at the Credit Suisse aerospace and defense conference in New York.

Few details of both configurations have been made available so far. The C-130XJ is aimed at the export market, and is designed to make the aircraft affordable to a broader set of foreign buyers, Heath said. The "X" in the designation stands for "expandable", Heath added, and buyers can upgrade to the C-130J's full capability.

It appears the C-130NG, which includes winglets and a redesigned nose and tail, will be offered after 2020 to replace the C-130H fleet. See a comparison between the old and new versions of the C-130J and C-130NG below.

Nearly 60 years has passed since Lockheed designer Willis Hawkins first unveiled the C-130 design. His legendary boss, Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson, instantly hated the aircraft, warning Lockheed chief engineer Hal Hibbard the C-130 would "ruin" the company. Johnson was right about many things, such as his designs for the U-2 and SR-71, but he was completely wrong about the C-130. Rather than ruining the company, the C-130 series will be produced for at least 65 years, and possibly longer.

In the last several years, the C-130's reign over the tactical airlift market has been challenged like never before. The Airbus Military A400M and Kawasaki C-2 offer a larger platform as airlift demand increases, although the latter is forbidden to be sold outside of Japan. Meanwhile, the Embraer KC-390 and the Antonov An-178 are designed to compete directly against the C-130, albeit with a jet-powered aircraft.

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http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/lockheed-unveils-new-cheaper-variant-of-c-130-365751/

Lockheed unveils new, cheaper variant of C-130

Lockheed Martin will develop a cheaper variant of the C-130J Super Hercules that removes several features from the tactical airlifter's basic design.

The C-130XJ will be offered to foreign and US customers that do not need certain advanced features of the standard J-model, including its enhanced cargo handling system, said Jim Grant, Lockheed's vice president of business development for mobility and special operations.

Grant cited the US Forest Service and South Africa as potential domestic and foreign buyers of the C-130XJ.

Lockheed could also propose the new variant to the US Air Force. Senator Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, has warned that the USAF is considering the cancellation of the L-3 Communications/Alenia Aeronautica C-27J Spartan.

Asked if the C-130XJ could be proposed as a substitute for the C-27J's direct support mission, Grant referred the question to the customer.

"There, the air force would have to do obviously the trade [studies] on commonality," Grant said. "There's no question the XJ will be an enormously capable airplane - maybe not as capable as the C-130J, but very close."

The C-130XJ will keep the same Rolls-Royce AE2100 turboprop engines and Honeywell-based avionics suite of the standard model, so its performance will be nearly identical. The new variant will also have the same outer-mould line as the J model, Grant said.

Lockheed did not provide details of the internal changes, except for the removal of the C-130J's automated cargo handling system. Instead, the XJ's crews will have to manually load and lock cargo to the floor of the aircraft.

The C-130XJ represents the latest iteration of the 57-year-old Hercules design. Lockheed hopes the refresh will allow the C-130 model to remain in production for the next 15-20 years.

It has also unveiled a notional design concept for a C-130NG, which features a new nose, tail and the addition of winglets to a familiar-looking Hercules fuselage.

The C-130NG design represents changes Lockheed believes are feasible for a replacement aircraft that would emerge after 2030. But some of the new design features, including the winglets, could be added as incremental improvements to the C-130J in the short-term.

"Any of the energy efficiency initiatives that are currently being worked could easily buy their way on the current programmes," Grant said.

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