Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Orlando, Florida, has received a $24.25 million U.S. Air Force contract to provide continued sustainment and support for Air Force Special Operations Command training devices used by fixed-wing and tiltrotor aircrews. The award, made Aug. 6, 2026, was issued by Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, under contract FA8621-26-C-B006 and is expected to run through Jan. 31, 2027.
Takeaways
Lockheed Martin secures continued Air Commando training support for AFSOC
1. $24.2 Million Training Contract
Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems received a $24.25 million contract to continue Air Commando training support.
2. Fixed-Wing And Tiltrotor Training
The award sustains training devices supporting Air Force Special Operations Command fixed-wing and tiltrotor aircraft, including platforms central to specialized mobility missions.
3. Work Across 10 U.S. Locations
Lockheed Martin will provide support at 10 continental U.S. locations, as well as locations outside the continental United States.
4. Funding Extends Into FY2026
$12.18 million is obligated at award, including $2.79 million in FY2025 operations and maintenance funds and $9.39 million in FY2026 funds.
5. Sustainment Through January 2027
The contract is expected to run through Jan. 31, 2027, maintaining training infrastructure that supports AFSOC readiness and aircrew proficiency.
The sole-source award provides continued support for training infrastructure distributed across 10 continental U.S. locations and additional locations outside the continental United States. The contracting activity is Wright-Patterson AFB, placing the work within the Air Force’s broader life-cycle management structure for specialized training systems.
Why AFSOC Training Device Sustainment Matters
The contract is focused on training infrastructure rather than procurement of new aircraft. That distinction is important because simulator and training-device availability directly affects how often aircrews can rehearse complex missions without consuming aircraft flight hours.
AFSOC operates a diverse fleet of fixed-wing, rotary-wing and tiltrotor aircraft. Its inventory includes the MC-130J Commando II, AC-130 variants, CV-22B Osprey, MQ-9 and other specialized platforms. The command’s missions include infiltration, exfiltration, resupply, air refueling, precision strike, command and control and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
The MC-130J illustrates why high-fidelity training infrastructure is particularly important. The aircraft performs low-visibility infiltration and exfiltration, special operations resupply and aerial refueling for helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft. It incorporates digital avionics, advanced navigation and systems designed for austere operations.
The CV-22 presents a different training challenge. As a tiltrotor, it combines vertical takeoff and landing with the speed and range characteristics of a turboprop aircraft. AFSOC uses the aircraft for long-range infiltration, exfiltration and resupply missions, making simulator-based preparation useful for complex mission planning and crew coordination.
AFSOC’s formal training structure also places significant emphasis on modeling and simulation. Its training guidance assigns responsibility for procurement, sustainment, contractor logistics support and certification of live, virtual and constructive training devices, including augmented, virtual, mixed and extended-reality systems.
Contract Breakdown & Financial Allocation
Contract Value And Performance Period
- Total contract value: $24,247,257
- Award date: Aug. 6, 2026
- Expected completion: Jan. 31, 2027
- Contract number: FA8621-26-C-B006
- Contracting activity: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
- Acquisition method: Sole source
The $24.25 million ceiling represents the value of the awarded contract, while the amount immediately obligated is lower.
Initial Funding
The Air Force is obligating $12,181,833 at the time of award, or about 50.2% of the total contract value.
The initial obligation consists of:
- FY2025 operations and maintenance: $2,794,000
- FY2026 operations and maintenance: $9,387,833
- Total initial obligation: $12,181,833
The funding profile indicates that the award is structured around ongoing operational sustainment rather than a one-time hardware acquisition.
Geographic Support
The contract covers 10 continental U.S. locations, along with additional locations outside the continental United States.
The announcement does not provide the individual site names or the dollar allocation assigned to each location. Consequently, a reliable percentage breakdown by geographic site cannot be calculated from the available contract data.
The distributed structure reflects the geographic footprint of AFSOC training. Training devices supporting different aircraft and mission specialties can require site-specific maintenance, software support, technical assistance and system certification.
Industry Impact & Acquisition Insight
The sole-source acquisition is significant because training systems often depend on proprietary software, interfaces, device configurations and technical data. Moving sustainment to a different supplier can introduce transition costs, certification requirements and potential interruptions to training availability. Keeping the incumbent contractor in place can therefore reduce technical and operational transition risk, particularly where specialized devices are already integrated into formal training pipelines.
The Air Force has previously identified Lockheed Martin as the current contractor associated with its AFSOC Air Commando Training Systems program. Program documentation describes the capability as supporting realistic simulated scenarios through training aids, devices, simulators and simulations across multiple mission design series and locations.
The award also fits a wider AFSOC emphasis on developing mission-ready personnel through formal training and institutional capability. The Air Commando Development Center, established as AFSOC’s formal training unit, is responsible for developing mission-ready Airmen and advancing training capabilities across the command.
For Lockheed Martin, the contract extends its role beyond aircraft production and into the training ecosystem required to operate specialized airpower. The company delivered AFSOC’s final MC-130J Commando II in December 2024, with the aircraft subsequently assigned to the 58th Special Operations Wing for formal training.
