Bandung, W Java, Nov. 27 -- Indonesia's Defence Ministry announced that a modernization program for nine C-130 Hercules aircraft, launched by state-owned PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI), will extend the transport fleet's service life by 15 years.

Colonel Arif Djoko, head of the C-130 Modernization Task Force, said each aircraft will undergo a center wing box replacement (CWBR) and an avionics upgrade program (AUP), with work expected to take six to seven months per unit.

"After these upgrades, each aircraft is projected to gain an additional 15 years of service, or roughly 25,000 flight hours," Arif told reporters at PTDI's Bandung facility on Wednesday.

The $150 million contract - equivalent to about 2.1 trillion rupiah - covers nine a...