© 2026 L3Harris Technologies, Inc.-The first RMAF C-130 landing at the L3Harris Waco Facility in November 2025.
The Royal Moroccan Air Force’s C-130 modernization program has entered its aircraft modification phase, with L3Harris completing inspections of the first aircraft at its facility in Waco, Texas. The aircraft is now undergoing maintenance and repairs and will receive a new standby instrument and digital engine displays. The work is part of a multiyear contract awarded in July 2025 to modernize multiple Moroccan C-130s. For Morocco, the program offers a way to sustain an established airlift fleet while introducing digital systems and addressing the maintenance needs of aircraft that have been in service for many years.
The next stages will bring additional aircraft into the facility. L3Harris plans to induct a second C-130 in autumn 2026, followed by a third later in the year. The third aircraft is scheduled for a more extensive avionics upgrade, including a fully digital cockpit. These aircraft will therefore receive different levels of modification, ranging from specific instrument and display changes to a broader cockpit renewal. The schedule indicates that the program is moving beyond its initial inspections, although L3Harris has not stated when the first upgraded aircraft will return to Royal Moroccan Air Force service.
The work in Waco encompasses aircraft modifications, depot maintenance, engine overhaul and logistics support. Taken together, these activities address both the systems used by aircrews and the condition of the aircraft that supports day-to-day operations. New cockpit equipment may improve the presentation of flight and engine information, while maintenance and engine work are intended to help keep the fleet available for missions. The program’s value will ultimately depend on how the upgraded aircraft perform in service and how much maintenance they require after returning to the fleet.
Modernizing an existing C-130 also presents integration challenges. Digital avionics must operate alongside systems already installed in the aircraft, and modifications must be completed without creating new support difficulties. L3Harris cites more than four decades of C-130 modernization experience and work for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard and international customers. Its previous projects include integrating the Collins APS-7000 digital autopilot on a C-130H. That experience provides a basis for the Moroccan effort, but the scope and results of each aircraft’s upgrade will become clearer as the program progresses.
The C-130 remains a central airlift platform for operators seeking to move personnel and equipment without immediately replacing their fleets. Morocco’s program follows that approach: retain the aircraft, renew selected systems and carry out substantial maintenance to support continued use. L3Harris says modernization can extend service life and reduce long-term costs compared with fleet replacement. The immediate milestones, however, are more concrete: completion of work on the first aircraft and the planned arrival of two more C-130s in Waco before the end of 2026.
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