LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the installation’s new Lockheed Martin Inventory Control Point, June 15, 2023.
Since the first C-130J delivery in 1999, Lockheed Martin has managed the U.S. Air Force’s C-130J “peculiar” parts inventory at Keesler AFB, Mississippi. This location was chosen as it was the first base to field the aircraft, but there are now 293 aircraft assigned to 22 different USAF operational installations across the globe. After many years of careful consideration, the decision was made to move the ICP to the Home of Herk Nation.
“This location will allow Lockheed Martin to centralize their operations at LRAFB to support the entire C-130J fleet,” said Mr. Robert Wice, 19th Logistics Readiness Squadron deputy of operations. “With LRAFB having the largest C-130J fleet in the world, it made solid logistical sense to move the operation here with space permitting.”
The Lockheed Martin ICP provides effective supply chain management for Air Force C-130J parts.
“The $1.3 million dollar project will bring $91 million dollars’ worth of USAF C-130J spare parts, which will decrease shipping times to LRAFB, ultimately providing less down time for aircraft waiting on parts,” said Wice.
This large project required support from many organizations including the construction team from BAMI Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Wright-Paterson Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, and members from the 19th Airlift Wing Plans and Programs, 19th Communications Squadron, 19th Civil Engineer Squadron, 19th Contracting Squadron, and 19th LRS, to ensure deadlines were met and completed before the official opening of the ICP.
“We are at the finish line with everything coming together to provide the best support possible,” said Wice. “The ICP project will increase mission reliability by providing more assets readily available to the 19th AW, 314th AW, 189th AW, and 913th Airlift Group C-130 missions here at the Home of Herk Nation.”