U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA-11) is leading a bipartisan effort to increase the production of the C-130J, which is manufactured in 11th Congressional District at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Marietta. He was recently joined by Georgia colleagues Rep. David Scott (D-GA-13), Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA-08), and Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02) in sending a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, urging the Department of Defense to increase the number of new aircraft it is requesting in the FY2023-2028 budget request.
Lockheed Martin Marietta currently employs close to 3,000 Georgians.
“In terms of military readiness and our ability to respond to conflicts quickly around the globe, the C-130J is arguably the most important aircraft we have,” said Loudermilk. “I have written multiple letters advocating for the increased production of the C-130J; and this year we had the largest number of bipartisan lawmakers support this effort. This is a testament to how important this aircraft is to the U.S. remaining the world’s preeminent military superpower.”
As the C-130J program remains the only active U.S. airlifter production line, given growing threats across the globe, the airlift capacity of our nation’s Armed Forces continues to be an important factor in near-peer competition scenarios, the Congressmen said in the letter.
They go on to say: “The current C-130J MYP-III (FY2019-2023) has been a remarkable success resulting in validated DOD savings greater than 10 percent per aircraft and greater than $379M over 50-plus C-130J aircraft. However, the sparse budgeting for future C130J production requirements appears uncertain at best.”
According to information provided in the letter, the C-130 is the longest continuously running military production line in history and the current C-130J Super Hercules is the most capable tactical airlifter in the world. However, C-130J production is currently declining from 2020’s rate of 24-plus aircraft per year down to a minimum 16 per year.
“Such a significant drop in production could dramatically affect C-130J pricing and undermine the national supplier base,” they said in the conclusion of the letter. “A stable C-130J production line supporting current and future validated DOD requirements is the best approach to preserving the 380 suppliers across 36 states that support the 27,200 direct and indirect jobs, yielding over $3.7 billion of total economic impact.”
A number of U.S. Representatives outside Georgia also signed the letter.
