Lockheed C-130 Hercules (RAF)

Contains threads on Royal Air Force equipment of the past, present and future.
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Gabriele
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Re: C130J

Post by Gabriele »

ArmChairCivvy wrote:
shark bait wrote:However I don't see the MOD jumping in to the current generation of equipment, and frankly that's fine, we don't need them at this early stage
Osprey was part of the competition, though not finalist, when we ended up with the Crows Nest choice (never mind that the prgr name changed once or twice on the way)
It was considered back when the programme was still called MASC and even Hawkeye was an option on the table.

Crowsnest was a competition about the sole mission system: when Crowsnest started, the Merlin HM2 was already the chosen platform (or, anyway, the only affordable one).

The change of acronyms (sometime) include also wider changes about the programme.
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Tinman
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Re: C130J

Post by Tinman »

Plans are being discussed for fitting AAR for chinooks on several airframes.

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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: C130J

Post by ArmChairCivvy »

Swapping the Voyager kept in the Flaklands for one of those would save enough to pay for the whole exercise (and boost SAR assets, too)
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Re: C130J

Post by Gabriele »

The helicopter refueling "studies" are now official. They have been openly announced and reported by Flightglobal and the like today. But details, are always, are nearly non existent and the officials did not give clues about the tanker element, saying there might not be tankers, relaying on allied support.
Which would be frustrating like hell and sound pretty damn stupid.

I don't even know what the "studies" are about. Surely the questions at the end of the day should be:

- How much for 2 tanker kits for 2 of the less worn-out short C-130Js in the fleet?
- Will the US allow us to receive the AAR probe for Chinook and retrofit the HC3s (or perhaps the 6 HC2A, which i understand have a specially strenghtened fuselage especially meant for future AAR probe installation, although the HC3, having also the fat tanks, looks like the best pick to really extend reach).
- Purchase a number of internally transportable vehicles for SF and CSAR work
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Re: C130J

Post by arfah »

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Re: C130J

Post by Gabriele »

arfah wrote:HC.5's, Gabby ;-)

Project Julius has been completed.

I don't know what the MOD's disposal plans are for the 10x SNLR'd C130J's but they are a source of potential revenue to fund the AAR equipment and refit.

I expect they'll just be stripped for useable spares. Path of least resistance.

Technically, yes, i suppose HC5, even though they are still being worked over, and are not back in RAF hands.

But even HC5 might not actually last. A while ago i was told that the HC4 will become HC6A when they are retrofitted with the same Digital Flight Controls as the HC6.

Which leaves the question of what will be the few HC4A's and the HC5's future names.
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marktigger
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Re: C130J

Post by marktigger »

any word of what is happening to the hercules fleet are they retaining the "Spare" airframes or selling them?

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RichardIC
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Re: C130J

Post by RichardIC »

GBP150 million on upgrading the fleet with new capabilities
http://www.janes.com/article/63460/uk-s ... 130j-fleet

OK what does that mean then?

Could this be the sometimes alluded to tanker kits that could be swapped around aircraft? Or is it the do-minimum for SF support tasks? But don't some of the J's have those mods already? To be honest I've lost track.

Bloody typical Government "announcement". Left with more questions than answers.

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Re: C130J

Post by Gabriele »

A part of that money probably covers keeping the pace with international software and hardware development via Blocks. Current block is 8.1, i think, and it includes stuff that slid to the right from Block 7. Block 7 encountered massive delays which are part of why the C-130J still hasn't picked up all the bits and pieces of SF gear.
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Re: C130J

Post by bobp »

How much do new wing boxes cost for 14 Aircraft plus fitting. And bearing in mind the need for CSAR and SF use any idea on the cost of refuelling rigs.

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Re: C130J

Post by arfah »

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Re: C130J

Post by R686 »

Germany now apparently putting orders in for C130-J

http://www.combataircraft.net/2016/10/0 ... y-c-130js/

Must be some very concerned types at Airbus I reckon.

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Re: C130J

Post by dmereifield »

And "will be operated in co-operation with the French MoD"...sounds odd

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Re: C130J

Post by bobp »

dmereifield wrote:And "will be operated in co-operation with the French MoD"...sounds odd
Probably means they will share maintenance and aircrew training with the French who also have a small fleet.

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Re: C130J

Post by dmereifield »

bobp wrote:
dmereifield wrote:And "will be operated in co-operation with the French MoD"...sounds odd
Probably means they will share maintenance and aircrew training with the French who also have a small fleet.
Ok, thanks

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Re: C130J

Post by R686 »

bobp wrote:
dmereifield wrote:And "will be operated in co-operation with the French MoD"...sounds odd
Probably means they will share maintenance and aircrew training with the French who also have a small fleet.
That sounds logical, wonder if they are getting AAR aswell?

This article says the aircraft will be based in France and speculating bigger headaches for Airbus, I'd put even money on the Kiwis going with C130J if the primes are getting jittery.

http://airheadsfly.com/2016/10/04/germa ... -hercules/

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Re: C130J

Post by dmereifield »

Based in France too? Doesn't that smack of doing things on the cheap? Is it wise to be so dependent on another nation for such a basic capability?

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Re: C130J

Post by ArmChairCivvy »

dmereifield wrote:Based in France too? Doesn't that smack of doing things on the cheap?
The French procurement was specifically for SF needs, to cover a gap. I would not be surprised if the two v small fleets were to share the couple of AAR versions.
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Re: C130J

Post by RetroSicotte »

Yeesh, no thank you to that sort of arrangement.

Very surprised France of all countries would do it.

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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: C130J

Post by ArmChairCivvy »

I read it that the comment was from the UK perspective? We have the numbers, even in the reduced fleet, we have Marshall's to back up the air force internal capabilities
... he he, we don't have the refuelling probes, but from what I read, they might be coming.

Germany starts from a zero fleet, were the rumour to be true. France has technicians (every day is a school day, even if they have been working on K's) and where would the extended range SF actions most likely be needed? ... in Africa!
- France is sort of on the way, if you look from Germany
- I wonder if those 600 German soldiers are still there (Mali/ CAR?) who went in to relieve the French numbers so that they could put their intervention bde back together again; the most frequently occurring type of op is rescuing nationals, though
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)

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Re: C130J

Post by arfah »

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Re: C130J

Post by dmereifield »

One small step on the road to a common EU defence force?

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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: C130J

Post by ArmChairCivvy »

The UK/ French joint intervention force is a slightly bigger deal?

Especially as this development seems to have the background that was evident from earlier newspieces:
"Germany doesn't currently operate the C-130 and so is planning to buy between four and six aircraft as its contribution to the joint squadron.

From the German point of view the primary task for the squadron will be non-combatant evacuation operations, especially for German and European nationals in crisis situations. The C-130Js will also close a German capability gap"

Now, they still don't have the expeditionary ship that has been wanted ever since it was difficult to get their peace keepers out of Somalia, at short notice.
- the answer: don't send any peace keepers... has been followed, in the main
Ever-lasting truths: Multi-year budgets/ planning by necessity have to address the painful questions; more often than not the Either-Or prevails over Both-And.
If everyone is thinking the same, then someone is not thinking (attributed to Patton)

dmereifield
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Re: C130J

Post by dmereifield »

I don't know the details (obviously). Are we sharing/pooling assets/equipment, relying on them for capabilities that we wouldn't otherwise have? I assumed we were just cooperating

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Re: C130J

Post by bobp »

It would make sense if the French and German fleet of C130 had their heavy maintenance done at Marshalls of Cambridge.

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