CAE USA awarded $300 million recompete contract to continue U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircrew training

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 21, 2026 /CNW/ -- (Nasdaq: CAE) (TSX: CAE) – CAE USA announced today that it has been awarded a $300 million competitive recompete contract by the United States Air Force (USAF) to continue delivering mission-critical C-130H aircrew training services.

This award extends CAE's role as prime contractor for the U.S. Air Force's C-130H Aircrew Training System (ATS) through December 2035, marking nearly two decades of partnership with the USAF.

As part of the contract, CAE will provide comprehensive training and sustainment services to support the C-130H ATS, including program management, instruction, maintenance and logistics support, cybersecurity solutions, and ongoing upgrades and enhancements to ensure the training system remains aligned with evolving aircraft capabilities. Through these services, CAE prepares highly trained and qualified C-130H pilots, flight engineers, navigators, and loadmasters to support the U.S. Air Force's mission readiness requirements.

These services will be delivered to the U.S. Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, home to the Training Service Support Center and the C-130H Formal Training Unit, as well as at four additional locations across the continental United States, including Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia, Wyoming Air National Guard Base in Wyoming, Minneapolis Air National Guard Base in Minnesota, and St. Joseph Air National Guard Base in Missouri.

This award reinforces CAE's position as the training partner of choice for the USAF, further strengthens CAE's expertise in C-130H training, and reflects continued confidence in CAE's ability to deliver high-quality training solutions that optimize mission support solutions and evolve with operational requirements.

"The C-130H remains a critical platform for the U.S. Air Force and CAE is proud to continue delivering the training excellence required to support mission readiness and operational success," said Srini Dixit, Vice President and General Manager (Interim), CAE Defense and Security, USA. "As the incumbent training provider, we are committed to providing exceptional performance, innovation, and value while ensuring the C-130H Aircrew Training System evolves to meet the U.S. Air Force's requirements."

"The United States Air Force recognizes the unparallelled value that CAE's dedicated multidisciplinary team brings amidst a rapidly evolving defense landscape, and we are honored to have that continued trust in our efforts to enhance mission readiness," adds Nick Coucoules, Vice President Airlift/Tanker Programs, CAE USA Defense and Security.

Eight years after securing the initial contract in 2018, CAE will remain the C-130H ATS prime contractor for the USAF for an additional nine years under the recompete contract. The program currently includes nine C-130H full-mission simulators and more than 45 aircrew training devices supporting operations across the United States.

About CAE

At CAE, we exist to make the world safer. We deliver cutting-edge training, simulation, and critical operations solutions to prepare aviation professionals and defense forces for the moments that matter. Every day, we empower pilots, cabin crew, maintenance technicians, airlines, business aviation operators, and defense and security personnel to perform at their best and when the stakes are the highest. Around the globe, we're everywhere customers need us to be with sites and training locations in over 40 countries. For nearly 80 years, CAE has been at the forefront of innovation, consistently seeking to set the standard by delivering excellence in high-fidelity flight simulators and training solutions, while embedding sustainability at the heart of everything we do. By harnessing technology and enhancing human performance, we strive to be the trusted partner in advancing safety and mission readiness - today and tomorrow.

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CAE Contacts:

General Media:
Samantha Golinski, Senior Vice President, Communications
[phone], [email protected] 

Investor Relations:
Andrew Arnovitz, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations
[phone], [email protected]

SOURCE CAE Inc.