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World Defense & Security News - AAR
 
 
 
AAR wins $72 mn contract to sustain Afghan Air Force C-130H transport aircraft fleet
 
AAR, an US industry-leading provider of aviation services has been awarded a five-year, approximately $72 million Complete Logistics Support (CLS) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract to sustain a fleet of C-130H aircraft on behalf of the Afghan Air Force. Under the contract with the U.S. Air Force, AAR will provide all operational, maintenance, logistics and technical functions needed to support and sustain fleet readiness requirements within Afghanistan.
     
AAR, an US industry-leading provider of aviation services has been awarded a five-year, approximately $72 million Complete Logistics Support (CLS) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract to sustain a fleet of C-130H aircraft on behalf of the Afghan Air Force. Under the contract with the U.S. Air Force, AAR will provide all operational, maintenance, logistics and technical functions needed to support and sustain fleet readiness requirements within Afghanistan. Afghan Air Force's Hercules C-130H military airlifter
     
"This contract continues our longstanding presence in Afghanistan and our commitment to the enduring U.S. mission to support and enable the Afghan Air Force,” said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Don Wetekam, Senior Vice President for Government and Defense. “As a prime CLS contractor, we will not only capitalize on our existing in-country infrastructure, but also leverage AAR’s capability to provide long-term operational and technical support in dynamic environments.


AAR will utilize the logistics services of its Aviation Supply Chain group and operational experience of its Expeditionary Airlift group to execute the contract. The opportunity represents AAR’s first C-130 CLS contract. This contract is a natural extension of the comprehensive supply chain management solutions that AAR provides to the U.S. government and its allies for other fleets, including the USAF KC-10, UK’s BAe 146 and 125; and Japanese MoD Hawkeye E-2C.

AAR’s Airlift has been serving the U.S. government in Afghanistan since 2010 and achieved an average operational readiness rate of over 92 percent for its fleet supporting U.S. troops last year.

In 2010, coalition partners recognized that C-130s could provide the Afghan Air Force with increased airlift, resupply and casualty evacuation capabilities, and a plan to supply the Afghan Air Force with a fleet of their own was born. Two aircraft arrived in mid-2013, with a third the following summer. year. The fourth and last C-130H aircraft touched down at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan on June 20.