Lockheed unveils MPA kit for C-130

Lockheed unveiled an upgrade kit for the C-130 that would turn them into Maritime Patrol Aircraft. The kit would include a multimode radar, nose mounted EO/IR camera, sonar buoy pallets, wingtip ESM sensors, and a MAD boom. The kit also would allow carriage of Harpoon, Hellfire, and air dropped torpedoes. The kit could possibly be installed with minimal modification, but is three to four years from being available. Lockheed is looking at a detachable MAD boom, or other systems that could do the same thing, without requiring the boom installation.

The kit is intended to "roll on" new C-130Js, as well as legacy variants of the military transport, with initial concepts calling for wing-mounted Harpoon anti-ship missiles and clusters of Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, as well as torpedoes to be stored in the cargo bay and launched off the back ramp.

The aircraft could sport a number of sensors including a multimode radar, a nose-mounted electro-optical/infrared camera, droppable sonar buoys, wing-tip-mounted electronic support measures, and a magnetic anomaly detector boom on the tail.

Lockheed Martin does not have a formal name for the system yet, but refers to it generically as the MPA kit. The company is competing against dedicated maritime patrol aircraft such as Boeing's P-8A Poseidon.

www.flightglobal.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Was this something that was asked for or told they needed?

a reply to: Zaphod58

It actually makes sense as many countries own some version of a C-130 and can not afford a full blown dedicated maritime patrol aircraft....err depending on the kit's cost... some are so poor that an armed 14 foot row boat with a 25 H.P. outboard motor controls their fishing grounds (sarc) !

I wonder if the pack makes them waaaay too heavy to work from carriers still?

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

The MPA/MSA requirement has been steadily growing as more countries either see their current aircraft aging out, or more incursions. Many countries have been going with an MSA instead because of cost.

a reply to: Blackfinger

The Herky Bird can do just about anything, but not regularly off the deck of a flat top. I think the whole "Look Ma, No Hook!" thing was only for sh!ts and g!ggles back in `63. The C-2 is still the biggest fixed wing aircraft that routinely operates on aircraft carriers IIRC.

I like this. The C-130 is like the modern C-47. If you think it, it can do it.

This basic offering has been made several times over the years. Mostly unsolicited for smaller nations and notably the UK. Pretty sure it's been discussed here.

The newest approach is the RO/RO kit which they had toyed with earlier, but had decided against. I'm curious to learn what changed their mind, or whether it was just the lack of customer interest driving a new approach/sales pitch.

Still a fan of the basic idea. Makes sense for many countries, imo.

The basic idea is very good in that it's a roll on kit not unlike the fire retardant dropping kit that 146th Airlift Wing uses out here in Calif