First Lockheed Martin LM-100J reaches production milestones

 

Marietta, Georgia – The first Lockheed Martin LM-100J commercial freighter aircraft has reached major production assembly milestones at Aeronautics sites in Marietta, Georgia; Meridian, Mississippi; and Clarksburg, West Virginia.

 

Wing production has begun in Marietta, which is home to the C-130J Super Hercules final assembly line. Other structural parts are in production at the Meridian and Clarksburg facilities.

 

The LM-100J is the civil-certified version of Lockheed Martin's C-130J Super Hercules and an updated version of the L-100 (or L-382) cargo aircraft.

 

"Watching the LM-100J move from concept to reality is monumental for everyone involved, including our team members, industry, and our customers," said George Shultz, vice president and general manager, Air Mobility & Maritime Missions at Lockheed Martin.

 

Lockheed Martin officials submitted a Program Notification Letter to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Jan. 21, 2014, for a type design update for the Lockheed Martin Model L-382J airplane, a civil-certified variant of the C-130J Super Hercules to be marketed as the LM-100J. The LM-100J is expected to make its first flight in 2017, then enter into an FAA certification phase. 

 

Through select design innovations, the LM-100J will perform as a commercial multi-purpose air freighter capable of rapid and efficient cargo transport. The LM-100J is an airlift solution for delivering bulk and oversize cargo, particularly to austere locations worldwide. Like its military counterpart, the LM-100J will be able to support multiple missions, ranging from firefighting to medevac to VIP transport.

 

The LM-100J incorporates technological developments and improvements over the existing L-100s that result from years of C-130J operational experience, including more than 1.3 million flight hours by operators in 16 nations.