The US Army has awarded Florida-based civil engineering firm Conti Federal Services a $109.9-million contract to establish a new complex for MC-130J Commando II aircraft in Arizona.
Located at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, the project supports the US Air Force’s expanding specialized operations capabilities.
Work includes constructing a two-bay hangar with overhead cranes, an attached maintenance unit with administrative spaces, a fleet service terminal, covered storage, and connecting airfield pavement.
Crews will also demolish two existing structures to integrate additional areas at the site.
The infrastructure project is scheduled for completion by April 2029.
Associated progress will be coordinated with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Los Angeles District, which holds oversight of the contract.
“We understand the importance of delivering the right infrastructure to support the Air Force’s special operations mission,” said Carina Branch, business development lead at Conti Federal.
“We will bring our experience and lessons learned from similar projects to support this mission. We are proud to partner with USACE and the Air Force on a facility that will play an important role in supporting the mission at Davis-Monthan.”
Special Operations Command Asset
Developed by Lockheed Martin, the MC-130J Commando II is designed to handle the Air Force Special Operations Command’s infiltration, exfiltration, resupply, and aerial refueling tasks.
It is modeled after the KC-130J tanker baseline to replace older airframes for similar assignments, including the MC-130E, MC-130P, and MC-130H.
The military received its final MC-130J production system in January 2025, almost 15 years after the plane’s rollout and maiden flight.
The Commando II measures 98 feet (30 meters) in length and has a wingspan of 133 feet (41 meters).
It is equipped with six-blade reversible propellers and four Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop engines with an output of approximately 4,590 horsepower each.
The transport and replenishment aircraft has a top speed of 362 knots (417 miles/670 kilometers per hour), a range of 2,600 nautical miles (2,992 miles/4,815 kilometers), and a service ceiling of 28,000 feet (8,534 meters).
