# U.S. Air Force Awards CAE $300M C-130 Training Contract

The U.S. Air Force has awarded CAE USA a **$300 million** contract extension to continue providing comprehensive aircrew training for the C-130 Hercules aircraft through December 2035. This contract covers pilot, navigator, flight engineer, and loadmaster training at multiple Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard bases, including Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas, Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia, and bases in Wyoming, Minnesota, and Missouri. Notably, this award was granted despite a U.S. presidential order restricting federal procurement of Canadian goods, reflecting nuances in procurement policy regarding services provided by U.S. subsidiaries of Canadian firms. The contract emphasizes modernization and cybersecurity enhancements within the training program.

- **Why this matters:** Procurement professionals should note the continued reliance on CAE's specialized training services, highlighting opportunities in defense simulation and aircrew training sectors.
- The contract's multi-base scope requires coordination across several states, impacting logistics and contract management strategies.
- The award despite procurement restrictions on Canadian companies suggests potential flexibility for U.S. subsidiaries of foreign firms in defense contracts.
- Contractors and industry stakeholders should evaluate capabilities in modernization and cybersecurity to align with evolving Air Force training requirements.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Contracting Vehicles
**Published:** September 22, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Air Force (USAF)
- Little Rock Air Force Base
- Dobbins Air Reserve Base
- Minneapolis Air National Guard Base

### Vendors
- CAE Inc. (prime contractor)
- CAE USA (prime contractor)

### Sources
- [CAE nabs $300M contract with U.S. air force despite Trump's Canadian procurement ban](https://www.thestar.com/business/cae-nabs-300m-contract-with-u-s-air-force-despite-trump-s-canadian-procurement-ban/article_b1fa412a-52bb-5966-9292-4884a66e5b77.html) - Toronto Star
- [CAE USA Lands $300M USAF C-130H Aircrew Training Contract](https://www.govconwire.com/articles/cae-usa-air-force-c130h-training-support) - GovCon Wire
- [CAE nabs $300M contract with U.S. air force despite Trump's ban](https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/company-news/2026/09/21/cae-nabs-300m-contract-with-us-air-force-despite-trumps-canadian-procurement-ban) - BNN Bloomberg