Portuguese Air Force Picks Collins Aerospace for C-130H Hercules Aircraft Modernization Effort

Feb. 27, 2019
Flight2™ avionics solution transforms the flight deck to communicate in a next generation airspace.

CEDAR RAPIDS (Feb. 27, 2019) - The Portuguese Air Force joins a growing list of customers that have selected Collins Aerospace for its C-130H Hercules military transport aircraft modernization effort. Serving as a contractor to OGMA – Industria Aeronautica de Portugal, Collins will provide its Flight2™ aftermarket avionics solution, which delivers the most cost-effective and lowest-risk CNS/ATM upgrade solution.

“The Portuguese Air Force uses C-130s for a broad range of missions, including personnel and cargo transport, and even firefighting,” said Dave Schreck, vice president, Military Avionics & Helicopters for Collins Aerospace. “Modernizing to the Flight2 system provides their Air Force with the latest generation of avionics aimed at optimizing their operations while making the most of their budget and minimizing aircraft downtime.”

Flight2 transforms a federated analog system into a modern digital glass cockpit that provides commonality to commercial aircraft. Included in the avionics upgrade is a full glass cockpit with new primary flight displays, Required Navigation Performance/Area Navigation flight management system with high altitude release point, and computed air release point precision airdrop software.

As part of the upgrade, Collins will leverage its Flight2 Mobility Mission Application (MMA) architecture, which allows customers to select from a super set of off-the-shelf capabilities. Customers using the MMA architecture can tailor the system to meet specific mission requirements, comply with regional communications navigation surveillance/air traffic management mandates, or simply to maximize capabilities for a given budget.

By upgrading to Flight2, the Portuguese Air Force’s C-130H will be in in compliance with the most recent International Civil Aviation Organization standards, while also equipping it with a tactical advantage in military operations.

Collins Aerospace has delivered over 2,900 Flight2 solutions for military fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. Of the 900 fixed wing Flight2 solutions, Collins has delivered or is on contract for 190 C-130s upgrades in 15 different countries. More C-130 upgrades have been fitted with avionics from Collins than from any other single provider in the world.