Texas and other Gulf States Officials Oppose C-130 Transfer

The governors of Texas and other Gulf states like Louisiana, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi have written to the White House imploring to block the move of C-130 fleet from their states. The US Air Force are planning to move the entire fleet of C-130 transport aircraft of the Texas National Guard to Montana.

The Air Force along with the rest of the military units is making a lot of changes due to budget cuts. Part of this change is to move units of aircraft to different bases. One such move will see the Texas C-130 fleet transferred to Montana, which will lose its F-15 fighters. The Texas National Guard will gain MC-12 Liberty plane, these aircraft gather intelligence.

Gulf states are prone to experience major weather disturbances like hurricanes and the C-130 are very useful in during these emergencies. When the Hurricane Katrina and Rita in 2005 as well as with Hurricane Ike and Gustav in 2008 hit the Gulf region, the C-130s had been instrumental in evacuating people and transporting supplies during the calamity.

A part of the governors’ letter to the President reads:

“Texas and the Gulf Coast are under constant threat of hurricanes, wildfires and floods. These C-130s have answered the call to support Gulf Coast States to counter these threats at a moment’s notice. … Mr. President, it makes no sense to move the assets of a perfectly functioning and experienced unit that has supported us well to establish the exact same capability in a state with none of this experience or any ties to the states that traditionally require these assets for emergency response.”

Since the C-130 belongs to the Air National Gurad, Texas Governor Rick Perry can easily call it up when a disaster strikes any gulf state and it will be ready to respond within hours. If the transport aircraft moved, there will be no C-130 withing the vicinity that can respond during disasters. Gulf state governors will have to rely on the Defense Department to call up federal military forces to see action during a calamity – a process that can take-up several days.

Gulf state governors are not alone in their pursuit. Gulf states senators and congress representatives are questioning military officials about the merit of the C-130 transfer. During the budget committee hearing, representatives from the gulf states have bombarded Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and the Air Force chief of staff, Gen. Norton Schwartz with questions and demands of explanation on how the Air Force can benefit financially in moving the C-130s. Unfortunately, the military officials have yet to come up with an answer.

“The hearing today was for the budget of the Air Force,” Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth said in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon. “We asked questions about their plan, and they can’t provide reasonable explanations as to why they made their decisions. That makes me angry.”

source: http://www.star-telegram.com

Argentina wants $166M C-130H upgrade

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency has notified Congress of a potential commercial-off-the-shelf avionics upgrade of five C-130H for the Government of Argentina, as well as associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $166 million.

Argentina has requested a possible purchase of commercial-off-the-shelf avionics upgrade of five C-130H aircraft that includes minor Class IV modifications, ground handling equipment, repair and return, spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, tools and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment, programmed depot maintenance, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of program support.

The estimated cost of the C-130 upgrade is $166 million. The proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a major non- NATO ally.

The prime contractors for this C130 Hercules sale are not known at this time. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will require the temporary assignment of approximately two U.S.

Government and 48 contractor representatives to Argentina during the duration of the program.

Source: dsca.mil

C-130s doing well in Afghanistan

Every day there are Airmen at BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan supporting combat airlift missions for Operation Enduring Freedom through the use of the C-130 Hercules.

The C-130s at Bagram Airfield are deployed with the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, which is part of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing. Its Air Force fact sheet states, “Basic and specialized versions of the (C-130) perform a diverse number of roles, including airlift (and airdrop) support …and aeromedical missions.”

“Using its aft loading ramp and door, the C-130 can accommodate a wide variety of oversized cargo, including everything from utility helicopters and six-wheeled armored vehicles to standard palletized cargo and military personnel,” the fact sheet states.

The flexible design of the C-130 also “enables it to be configured for many different missions, allowing for one aircraft to perform the role of many. Much of the special mission equipment added to the Hercules is removable, allowing the aircraft to revert back to its cargo delivery role if desired.

Additionally, the C-130 can be rapidly reconfigured for the various types of cargo such as palletized equipment, floor-loaded material, airdrop platforms, Container Delivery System bundles, vehicles and personnel or aeromedical evacuation.”

From Bagram Airfield, C-130s help airlift and airdrop cargo to forward operating locations throughout the country in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

 

Source: U.S. Air Force

Raytheon deploys MALD from C-130

Raytheon Company launched two Miniature Air Launched Decoy instrumented shapes from the ramp of a C-130 Hercules equipped with the new Raytheon-funded MALD Cargo Air Launched System (MCALS). This test marked the first deployment of a MALD airframe from a cargo aircraft.

MALD is a state-of-the-art, low-cost flight vehicle that is modular, air-launched and programmable. It weighs less than 300 pounds and has a range of approximately 500 nautical miles (about 575 statute miles).

The current MALD family includes both the baseline MALD and a stand-in jammer variant called the MALD-J.

“Dispensing the MALD family of weapons from C-130 cargo aircraft gives warfighters an important new capability they currently don’t have in today’s high-threat environment,” said Harry Schulte, vice president of Raytheon Missile Systems’ Air Warfare Systems product line. “MCALS opens the door for the non-traditional use of a high-capacity aircraft to deliver hundreds of MALDs during a single combat sortie.”

MCALS has a steel, birdcage-like framework body that can hold as many as eight MALDs. MCALS is loaded on a standard cargo pallet, placed on a transport aircraft, and at a pre-determined altitude rapidly ejects the MALDs, which then initiate a standard wing deployment and engine ignition sequence.

“MCALS is another example of the innovative and affordable technologies Raytheon engineers are developing to support the warfighter,” said Bob Francois, vice president of Raytheon Advanced Missiles and Unmanned Systems.

Raytheon Company, with 2010 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world.

Source: Raytheon

RAAF Hercules crew gear up for Red Flag

 

Air Force Hercules crews have been honing their skills ahead of the world’s most realistic airborne exercise. From February 21 to March 15, they’ll participate at Exercise Red Flag 11-3 at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, facing the world’s most comprehensive airborne warfighting simulation.

An 88-strong Australian contingent from RAAF Base Richmond’s No. 37 Squadron will operate a pair of C-130H Hercules transport aircraft. The Hercules has left RAAF Base Richmond, and was supported in the transit by a C-17A Globemaster.

Red Flag 11-3 is coordinated by the United States Air Force and features an exercise space over 24,000 square kilometers of desert north of Las Vegas.

C-130Hs are each powered by four-turboprop engines and can lift up to 20-tonnes of cargo, or 92 passengers. Flying alongside fighters, surveillance aircraft and tankers, they will face the world’s most realistic simulated warzone.

Wing Commander Mark McCallum, Commanding Officer No. 37 Squadron, said the C-130s would fly tactical airlift missions at Red Flag.

“Despite our Squadron having a busy start to 2011 with civil aid tasking, we’ve managed to balance some intense practice for the missions we’ll face at Red Flag,” Wing Commander McCallum said.

“No other exercise in the world has the same level of complexity in its exercise area, and no other exercise delivers the same experience.

“The Hercules will be flying day-time and night-time missions, and could drop paratroops by static-line or freefall, or land on a desert airstrip to pick up personnel.

Air Force is also sending a team of eight from RAAF Base Williamtown’s No. 4 Squadron, providing close air support and tactical landing zone reconnaissance. They’ll also operate alongside a 20-strong team from Army’s 2 Commando Regiment.

- air-attack

 

Philippines set to buy ex-Tunisia C-130 for $34 million

 

USAF C-130 Hercules

 

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is set to buy a refurbished C-130 cargo airplane that had overshot a runway. An American company won the bidding to supply the PAF with the 26-year-old airplane that was previously owned by Tunisia.

Derco Aerospace Inc. was the lone bidder in the project, according to Department of National Defense (DND) spokesman Eduardo Batac.

“The post qualification is now finished. It’s already okay. The result was positive,” Batac said.

The US company offered a 26-year-old Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft, originally used by the Tunisian Air Force, for US $34 million.

Batac said a post-qualification team inspected the facilities of Derco in Wisconsin, including its repair facility in Malaysia where the C-130 plane offered is undergoing refurbishing.

“As reported by the post-qualification team, the package offered by Derco to the Philippine Air Force is over and above the required specifications for the project…The notice of award will be out shortly,” said Batac.

“In line with the government’s policy of transparency and accountability, let us open our lines of communication so that a proper appreciation of what we do here in the Defense Department can be made, thereby preventing any misunderstanding that might ensue, owing to certain misperceptions formed by way of incomplete information,” Gazmin said.

- ABS-CBN News -

New Home For F-22 Raptor 4168

Last Oct. 26, Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor 4168 ascends over C-130H aircraft belonging to the 94th Airlift Wing at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia, shortly after taking off from the company’s Marietta facility on its delivery flight to Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.

F-22 Raptor 4168

Raptor 4168 is the 15th F-22 delivered to the U.S. Air Force this year, the 168th overall. Lockheed Martin has delivered 88 consecutive F-22s on or ahead of schedule.

Designed primarily as an air superiority fighter which has additional capabilities that include ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals intelligence roles, the F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine fifth-generation fighter aircraft that uses stealth technology. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics is the prime contractor and is responsible for the majority of the airframe, weapon systems and final assembly of the F-22. Program partner Boeing Defense, Space & Security provides the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and all of the pilot and maintenance training systems.

Dobbins Air Reserve Base (ARB) is an air reserve base located in Marietta, Georgia, a suburb about 20 miles northwest of Atlanta. Named in honor of Captain Charles M. Dobbins, a World War II C-47 pilot who died near Sicily, Dobbins ARB serves as the home station of the 94th Airlift Wing and its fleet of Hercules C-130 aircraft, and is the headquarters for Twenty-Second Air Force. It is also home to the Army Aviation Service Facility #2 (AASF#2), the Georgia Army National Guard and their fleet of UH-60 Blackhawks. Dobbins is also home to Marine and Navy Reserve units.

 

-planenews.com

-wikipedia.org