Story ID: 
Boeing Makes C-130 Upgrade Progress
By: Chris Pocock
Caption: Two U.S.
Word Count: 165
Two U.S. Air Force C-130Hs are now being flight-tested at Edwards AFB with the Boeing avionics modernization program (AMP) upgrade. This program has been much delayed by procurement policy changes and cost overruns. But Boeing told AIN that test flights are going well, with no changes needed to the first software release. A third and last flight-test aircraft will join the program next year. Before that, the first of seven Swedish Air Force C-130Hs will arrive at Boeing’s San Antonio facility to undergo the upgrade. To date, Sweden is the only international customer for the AMP. Others might be waiting to see whether Boeing is reconfirmed for the production AMP upgrades, which are now expected to cover 222 USAF aircraft. Boeing faces stiff competition for C-130 avionics upgrades overseas. At the Singapore Air Show, half a dozen vendors were touting their solutions, including Singapore Technologies Aerospace, which showed the upgrade that it will perform on 10 C-130s for the local air force.