23 July 2019, Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp. has completed the first cockpit modernization of fourteen contracted Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules for the French Air Force. Collins Aerospace plays a central role in the on-going certification flight test campaign, in Bordeaux-Mérignac, France.

The aircraft is equipped with the Collins Aerospace Flight2™ avionics solution and the industry-leading dual HGS-4500 Head-Up Guidance (HGS) with EVS-3000 multispectral enhanced vision system to improve pilot situational awareness. An electro-optical infrared camera for asset detection is also integrated into the HGS. Together these solutions further enhance C-130H operational capabilities to support specific mission requirements.

“Modernizing to the Flight2 system provides the French Air Force with the latest generation of avionics and optimized support and maintenance solutions to complete demanding missions all over the world,” said Olivier Pedron, managing director, Avionics for Collins Aerospace in France. 

Following the first flight and qualification of the first two aircraft by the French Armament General Directorate (Direction Générale de l’Armement, DGA) Collins Aerospace, together with Sabena Technics, will deliver modification kits to the Service Industriel de l’Aéronautique (SIAé) to complete the installation on the remaining 12 French C-130Hs in the fleet. 

Awarded by the DGA in September 2016, Collins Aerospace is the prime contractor, in accordance with its FRA-21J capability, together with its partners Lockheed Martin and Sabena Technics.

With Flight2™, the C-130H will comply with the most recent International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, equipping it with a tactical advantage in both military operations and civil airspace environments. In addition, Flight2 provides commonality for optimized support and maintenance across other French Air Force platforms such as E-3, AWACS, KC-135 and HUD commonality on the C-130J. 

Collins Aerospace has delivered over 2,900 Flight2 solutions for military fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Additionally, 371 C-130 aircraft have been upgraded, or are on contract to be upgraded, with the Flight2 solution. More legacy C-130 aircraft have been fitted with Collins’ avionics than any other single provider in the world.

The Flight2 integrated avionics solution has received a certificate of design by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, the C-130 Hercules original equipment manufacturer.