Quickstep delivers 300th set of C-130J flaps to Lockheed Martin

Sydney based Quickstep, a wholly owned subsidiary of ASDAM, has completed the 300th ship-set of composite wing flaps for the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.

Manufactured at Quickstep’s Bankstown Airport facility in Sydney, the 300th ship-set will be delivered to Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Marietta, Georgia. This milestone also includes the completion of composite wing flaps for the first aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force’s new C-130J-30 fleet. The aircraft is scheduled to be delivered by Lockheed Martin in 2028 under Project AIR 7404.

Lockheed Martin has worked closely with Quickstep to develop and sustain advanced manufacturing capability in Australia, enabling the company to meet the rigorous quality, scale and certification requirements of global defence programs, it says.

Under Lockheed Martin’s C-130J program, Quickstep is the sole global supplier of composite wing flaps for the aircraft and Australia’s only production supplier to the program to date. All C-130 aircraft manufactured since 2014 incorporate wing flaps manufactured by Quickstep at its Bankstown Airport site, reflecting Lockheed Martin’s reliance on Australian industry to deliver critical, mission-essential components across its global programs.

“Reaching the 300th ship-set milestone is a significant achievement for Quickstep and for Australian defence manufacturing and even more significant that these components will be installed on the first of Australia’s new C-130Js “Quickstep has proven itself as a long-standing, reliable and critical partner, consistently delivering mission-essential composite structures to the quality, scale and precision required for global aerospace programs,” said Toni Marzulli, Vice President Operations, Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand.

The milestone reflected decades of technical excellence and sustained investment, said Rohan Stocker, Chief Executive Officer of ASDAM. “Being the sole global supplier of C-130J composite wing flaps is a testament to the capability of our people and the strength of our partnership with Lockheed Martin,” Mr Stocker added. “This program has been foundational to Quickstep’s growth and continues to provide highly skilled jobs and advanced manufacturing capability here in Australia.”

The RAAF introduced the C-130 Hercules into service more than 65 years ago. The new C-130J-30 fleet will extend Australia’s relationship with the Hercules beyond a century of service.