Above: C-130 USAF Image by Senior Airman Isabella Ortega
C-130s will still be seen flying over north central Arkansas after Little Rock Air Force Base’s primary training contractor secured a new long-term deal with the U.S. Air Force.
CAE USA, a Tampa, Florida-based defense and security contractor, announced Monday it has been awarded a $300 million recompete contract to continue providing training and logistics services supporting the Air Force’s C-130 Hercules Aircrew Training System through December 2035, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
The company secured its initial contract for the work in September 2018, valued at $200 million.
Little Rock Air Force Base is the Defense Department’s primary C-130 Hercules training base. The Jacksonville installation hosts the C-130 Hercules Formal Training Unit and the Training Service Support Center.
Nick Coucoules, CAE USA Defense and Security’s vice president of airlift/tanker programs, said the agreement reflects confidence in the company’s team amid a shifting defense landscape.
“The unparalleled value that CAE’s dedicated multidisciplinary team brings amidst a rapidly evolving defense landscape” was cited as a key factor in the award, Coucoules told the Little Rock newspaper.
Srini Dixit, interim vice president and general manager for CAE Defense and Security USA, said the C-130H remains central to the Air Force’s mission.
“The C-130H remains a critical platform for the U.S. Air Force and CAE is proud to continue delivering the training excellence required to support mission readiness and operational success,” Dixit said.
Dixit added that as the incumbent provider, the company is focused on maintaining performance while adapting the training system to evolving Air Force requirements.
Little Rock Air Force Base did not respond to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s request for comment on the announcement.
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