Students from universities in India recently presented design concepts for modules to support disaster relief operations in the country, Lockheed Martin said in a news release. Teams from five universities in India met with Indian Air Force C-130J pilots, engineers, and load masters as part of the company’s C-130J Super Hercules Roll-On/Roll-Off University Design Challenge. When the contest launched in November, Lockheed Martin provided grants for each team to work with defense industry partners and mentors to develop modules for the C-130J that can support disaster relief efforts. The planes have a built-in ramp that allows modules to be rolled on or off, so major design modifications aren’t required to reconfigure the cargo area. Next year, the company will give three of the teams an additional grant to develop a prototype of their module. At the end of the competition, representatives from Lockheed Martin will work with the teams to determine how to develop the prototypes for a larger market. The Indian Air Force has five C-130Js.
Robins Air Force Base, Ga., has completed two environmental reviews, clearing the way for new construction to support the bases four new missions sets, which will replace the E-8 Joint STARS mission that has defined the base for decades.