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Smiths Aerospace played a key role in providing the avionics and flight management system for The Boeing Company successful first flight of the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) aircraft. The system upgrade for the C-130 AMP is valued at more than $250 million over the life of the program.

The flight took place on Sept. 19 as part of a comprehensive C-130 avionics modification effort. The first C-130 AMP aircraft, designated H2, successfully completed its maiden flight from Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. The aircraft is the first C-130 to undergo trial installations. Boeing introduced the aircraft in January 2005, after accepting it from Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, AL. The aircraft's new avionics system features the 737 commercial airliner's proven flight management system from Smiths Aerospace, which provides navigation, safety and communication improvements to meet Communication Navigation Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) requirements. The CNS/ATM upgrade will enable the C-130 fleet to be deployed worldwide. The new flight system includes the communications management unit and a terrain awareness warning system integrated in a single PowerPC. Also included are multifunction control displays, an integrated standby instrument system and a mission display processor including digital map.

The C-130 AMP provides enhanced digital avionics that increase situational awareness for the warfighter over old analog cockpits, dramatically increasing information available to aircrews at a glance, simplifying tasks and decreasing workload. Upgrade commonality brought by the AMP offers additional flexibility in assigning air crews regardless of the model design type. The Air Force initiated the C-130 AMP program to reduce the number of C-130 configurations in the fleet, including highly specialized versions in service with the Air Force Special Operations Command. U.S. Navy, Marines and international customers will be able to leverage developments accomplished on the Air Force program.