The Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $223 million contract for work on updating more C-5 Galaxy transports to the new C-5M Super Galaxy configuration. The new contract, awarded on June 18, supports Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program upgrades for 11 C-5s. The RERP work, along with avionics updates already completed, will transform these airplanes to the new M-model standard. Lockheed Martin spokesman Chad Gibson told Air Force Magazine the contract fully authorizes Lot 6 RERP production, including material, spares, and installation, along with materials for Lot 7. Overall, the company is configuring 52 of the Air Force’s C-5s in the Super Galaxy standard. So far, it’s delivered 18 C-5Ms to Dover AFB, Del., and one to Travis AFB, Calif. Gibson said delivery of the 20th C-5M is expected “in the next couple of weeks.” Lockheed Martin is slated to complete its work on all 52 C-5s by early 2018, he said. (Pentagon’s list of major contracts for June 18.)
A new report from the Government Accountability Office calls for the Pentagon’s Chief Technology Officer to have budget certification authority over the military services’ research and development accounts—a move the services say would add a burdensome and unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.
