Georgia Rep. Barry Loudermilk Urges More Production of Military Aircraft Manufactured in Marietta

 

Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-GA-11) announced late last week that he has asked the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to increase the number of new C-130J aircraft, which are manufactured at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Marietta, Georgia.

That Lockheed Martin factory, Loudermilk went on to say, employs 3,000 Georgia residents.

Loudermilk wrote a letter last week to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and urged the DOD to increase the number of new C-130J aircraft in the Fiscal Year 2023-2028 budget request.

In his letter, Loudermilk cited what he called “growing threats across the globe” as a good reason to continue manufacturing the C-130J.

“The C-130 is the longest continuously running military production line in history. The current C-130J Super Hercules is the most capable tactical airlifter in the world. C-130J production is currently declining from 2020’s health rate of 24 plus aircraft per year down to a minimum 16 per year,” Loudermilk wrote.

Exactly 380 suppliers across 36 states support nearly 30,000 direct and indirect jobs associated with the C-130J production line, resulting in $3.7 billion in economic impact, Loudermilk wrote.

“By design, the C-130J provides significant operational/support savings, more operational capability per aircraft, lower life-cycle costs, common logistics/training support, and improved active duty/air reserve component interoperability,” Loudermilk wrote.

The Lockheed Martin C-130 is the Air Force’s principal tactical cargo and personnel transport aircraft. The C-130J Hercules, the latest model, features a glass cockpit, digital avionics and a new propulsion system with a six-bladed propeller, according to the website Airforce-Technology.com

Compared to C-130s, the C-130J, according to the Air Force’s website, “climbs faster and higher, flies farther at a higher cruise speed, and takes off and lands in a shorter distance.”

“C-130J/J-30 major system improvements include advanced two-pilot flight station with fully integrated digital avionics, color multifunctional liquid crystal and head-up displays and state-of-the-art navigation that includes a dual inertial navigation system and GPS,” according to the Air Force.

“The aircraft also features fully integrated defensive systems, low-power color radar, digital moving map display, new turboprop engines with six-bladed all-composite propellers and a digital auto pilot. The C-130J/J-30 also includes improved fuel, environmental and ice-protection and an enhanced cargo-handling system.”

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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].

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One Thought to “Georgia Rep. Barry Loudermilk Urges More Production of Military Aircraft Manufactured in Marietta”

  1. CPO Bill

    If the idiots that now run Cobb County run Dobbins AFB out Lockheed will follow!

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