New airlifter could become C-130 surrogate......

[GengisKhant]

Pentagon strategic documents continue to predict the US military will operate more and more in rugged outposts - like the mountainous regions of Afghanistan - leading some officials to predict the nascent Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA), will likely become a “surrogate” to the C-130 Hercules for such 21st century intra-theater missions.

Though many acknowledge the military’s C-130 fleet has been a true workhorse of late, transporting troops and equipment during ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, they all cede the C130 has its limitations. Primarily because of its size, military officials might be forced to look beyond the C-130 when planning a mission in an “austere” area that lacks a conventional runway like those found at U.S. and coalition airbases around the globe.


The solution could well be the US Air Force-Army JCA, which is envisioned as the same type of nimble medium-load airlifter the two services operated during the Vietnam War. The C-130 Hercules, was designed early in the Cold War era, and was primarily intended to support linear combat operations against a massive conventional Soviet force. Pentagon war plans crafted throughout the Cold War, envisioned flying the loaded C-130s to U.S. and allied airfields scattered across Europe -- and the globe -- to support a conventional conflict against the Soviet Union.


Future operations look very different, pitting US and allied forces against enemies that resemble Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan and insurgent combatants in Iraq, often on very rough terrain with makeshift -- and very short -- runways. That means the C-130 would simply be unable to ferry supplies and reinforcements to those areas. Heavy lift rotary, whilst offering a force multiplier capability, are severely limited at high altitudes when carrying any meaningful payload. Likewise, air drop of men and equipment from C130s is not considered an option, given the mountainous nature of the region.


Although the C-130s range, commonality and flexibility make adding another type look dubious, especially with U.S. Special Operations Command getting CV-22s, if the C-130 modernization effort dies or gets scaled back, some JCAs might make sense for low-density missions. If US Air Force officials view the Armys FCA program as infringing upon the latter services turf, buying the JCA only makes sense.

GengisK