A £369m contract to maintain the RAF’s Hercules fleet has been awarded to Cambridge-based Marshall Aerospace helping to secure 1,200 jobs.

The agreement will mean continued support for the C-130Js until 2022, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.

Marshall, which was founded in 1909, are specialists in servicing transport planes.

RAF Hercules aircraft are used to carry troops, supplies and equipment in support of military operations.

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Image captionThe MoD describes the Hercules as “one of RAF’s workhorses” and a “vital part of its transport fleet” 

The MoD describes the Hercules as “one of RAF’s workhorses” and a “vital part of its transport fleet”.

As part of the six-year contract work will also be undertaken by Lockheed Martin and its sub-contractors at sites in Havant, Stansted and Cheltenham.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: “It (the contract) will secure around 1,200 skilled jobs and ensure our essential RAF transport aircraft are prepared for operations for years to come.”

The contract will focus on servicing the 24 RAF C-130J-type Hercules planes following the retirement of the C-130K planes.

source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/