The Government has reached an agreement on completing the
delayed upgrade of the air force C130 Hercules aircraft which
will see most of the work done in New Zealand, Defence
Minister Wayne Mapp says.
United States company L3 Communications has been tasked with
the upgrades, which are still not complete despite the $226
million contract starting over five years ago.
The air force has had two aircraft back, but equipment
software and contractual problems have dogged the project and
three aircraft are yet to be upgraded to the standards
expected.
Air New Zealand subsidiary Safe Air was sub-contracted to do
some of the work, but with aircraft not being sent to the
company's Blenheim base from the United States when expected
it led to job lay-offs and continued difficulties for the air
force.
Today, Dr Mapp said the Government and L3 had reached an
agreement. The work would be done in New Zealand, most of it
at Safe Air's premises in Blenheim.
"Under the new agreement the work will be completed using the
skills of the workforce in Blenheim," Dr Mapp said.
Two aircraft would be returned to the air force for test and
evaluation by the end of the year.
The first of the last three aircraft was expected to enter
the modification programme early next year.
The upgrade of the C130 includes refurbishment of the
aircrafts' centre wings and other structural components, a
major rewire and replacement of avionics systems, flight
measurement, autopilot and navigation and communication
suites.
Dr Mapp said he would now focus on the contracts for the
purchase of helicopters and the P3 Orion upgrade.
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