AAR Defense Systems & Logistics awarded contract for Afghan Air Force C-130s

July 5 (UPI) -- AAR Defense Systems and Logistics was awarded a $209.9 million contract for logistics support of the Afghanistan Air Force's C-130 cargo planes, the Pentagon announced.

Afghanistan currently has four C-130H planes, known as the "Hercules."

The C-130H is a four-engine turboprop military aircraft designed and built by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. It first entered U.S. Air Force service in 1956 and for decades has been the backbone of the U.S. military's troop transport and cargo service. Over 60 nations now use a variant of the C-130.

The contract with the Wood Dale, Ill., company, a part of AAR Supply Chain Inc., calls for contractor logistics support including maintenance and repair. On-the-job training for local Afghan nationals is also specified in the Foreign Military Sales contract, which was announced on Wednesday.

Work will be performed in Kabul, Afghanistan, with a completion date of January 2025. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Robbins AFB, Ga., is the contracting agent.