Lockheed Martin Corp has been awarded a contract worth more than $1 billion for 32 C-130J aircraft, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.

The work is expected to be completed by April 2020, the Department of Defense said in its daily digest of major contract awards.

Earlier this year, Lockheed announced that it had reached a verbal agreement with the US Air Force for a five-year contract to build up to 83 C-130J Super Hercules transport planes for the Air Force, Coast Guard and Marine Corps through 2020.

The planes are able to touch down on austere landing zones - essentially makeshift runways - and often used for humanitarian relief missions, special operations, aerial refueling, close air support and search and rescue.-Reuters