C-17 Production Line Restart
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
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C-17 Production Line Restart
I doubt, but Ken will have a more informed opinion. A-400M would seem more likely - or CRAP. The proposed increase in C-17 Sqns vs C-130 would seem to indicate long range Pacific airlift is the need I am presuming new C-130s or KC-390s would not be suitable.
https://www.defensenews.com/digital-...oduction-line/
Could the Air Force restart the C-17 production line?
WASHINGTON — As part of the Air Force’s push to boost its number of operational squadrons to 386 total, and the service may need additional C-17s, the head of Air Mobility Command said Friday.
The service’s expansion plan, which was named “The Air Force We Need” and unveiled this September, called for one airlift squadron...... But now, AMC has a better idea of what it could require, Miller told reporters during an Oct. 26 roundtable. The analysis from “The Air Force We Need” supports adding three new C-17 Globemaster III squadrons and cutting two C-130 Hercules squadrons from the airlift inventory, she said. That would bring the total number of airlift squadrons up to 54, an increase of one squadron.
But Boeing’s C-17 production line in Long Beach, California is dead, with the company having manufactured the final Globemaster in 2015. Increasing the number of C-17s could entail restarting the production line — an expensive proposition for any aircraft — but Miller said the Air Force had not yet begun discussing the possibility with Boeing.
"Those are the details that we have not looked at,” Miller said. “That will be the next discussion as we proceed, talking with Congress and working with Congress, because the same would apply for the tanker fleet,” she said. “An additional 14 squadrons by 2030 — what would be the path to get there? Something we’re looking at, but again, this is just the initial stages of talking with Congress and getting this concept out there."
It’s unclear what other options would exist to increase the number of C-17 squadrons aside from restarting the production line. The U.S. Air Force currently operates 222 C-17s, but began retiring some of the oldest Globemaster IIIs in 2012. It may be possible that those C-17s could be taken out of storage and revitalized.
A spokeswoman for Boeing had no comment.
Miller stressed that discussions about the makeup of the future airlift fleet are still in the beginning stages, and will be informed not only by Congress but also by an ongoing AMC study. That Mobility Capabilities Requirements Study is slated to be delivered to Capitol Hill in a couple of months, and may have different recommendations than the “Air Force We Need” analysis on how many airlift squadrons are needed, and of what aircraft models.
“The two studies took slightly different approaches to that,” she said. “The results of each of those studies will be reviewed and I think there will be a combination somewhere in there to try to validate the results of those studies put together.”
https://www.defensenews.com/digital-...oduction-line/
Could the Air Force restart the C-17 production line?
WASHINGTON — As part of the Air Force’s push to boost its number of operational squadrons to 386 total, and the service may need additional C-17s, the head of Air Mobility Command said Friday.
The service’s expansion plan, which was named “The Air Force We Need” and unveiled this September, called for one airlift squadron...... But now, AMC has a better idea of what it could require, Miller told reporters during an Oct. 26 roundtable. The analysis from “The Air Force We Need” supports adding three new C-17 Globemaster III squadrons and cutting two C-130 Hercules squadrons from the airlift inventory, she said. That would bring the total number of airlift squadrons up to 54, an increase of one squadron.
But Boeing’s C-17 production line in Long Beach, California is dead, with the company having manufactured the final Globemaster in 2015. Increasing the number of C-17s could entail restarting the production line — an expensive proposition for any aircraft — but Miller said the Air Force had not yet begun discussing the possibility with Boeing.
"Those are the details that we have not looked at,” Miller said. “That will be the next discussion as we proceed, talking with Congress and working with Congress, because the same would apply for the tanker fleet,” she said. “An additional 14 squadrons by 2030 — what would be the path to get there? Something we’re looking at, but again, this is just the initial stages of talking with Congress and getting this concept out there."
It’s unclear what other options would exist to increase the number of C-17 squadrons aside from restarting the production line. The U.S. Air Force currently operates 222 C-17s, but began retiring some of the oldest Globemaster IIIs in 2012. It may be possible that those C-17s could be taken out of storage and revitalized.
A spokeswoman for Boeing had no comment.
Miller stressed that discussions about the makeup of the future airlift fleet are still in the beginning stages, and will be informed not only by Congress but also by an ongoing AMC study. That Mobility Capabilities Requirements Study is slated to be delivered to Capitol Hill in a couple of months, and may have different recommendations than the “Air Force We Need” analysis on how many airlift squadrons are needed, and of what aircraft models.
“The two studies took slightly different approaches to that,” she said. “The results of each of those studies will be reviewed and I think there will be a combination somewhere in there to try to validate the results of those studies put together.”
No mention of the Manning shortage extant.....so how are they planning to 1) Meet CURRENT manning requirements and 2) Recruit, train, and deploy the additional Crews necessary to fly, maintain, and service the C-17 Operations?
The U/SN ran up on the rocks when Reagan called for a Six Hundred Ship Navy.....and ships got built that would not have crews in the latter years of the program.
Then SecNav, John Lehman, did not see to tweak to that and while bragging on the "new" Navy....allowed a real crisis to develop on the personnel side.
The Trump Administration working with Congress recently increased Defense Spending to about Seven Hundred Billion Dollars which will allow for improving the Man Power situation.
The following article was written prior to that thus consideration must be given to that fact while considering what the article describes.
What stands out....is the article addressed the issue prior to the decision to field more Squadrons and buying more aircraft.
If the Air Force could not keep up with manning needs then....and the civilian economy is much improved....thus making Civilian Jobs more available and at higher pay than the Military can offer, along with the improved lifestyle that exists in Civilian Life.....will the Air Force be able to man effectively man these new units?
New enlistments can meet the numerical goal for Total Force Personnel Numbers....but that means you have Entry Level Engineers, Pilots, etc....and a shortage of experienced personnel due to turnover and failed Retention.
That situation can be fatal to Mission Accomplishment....that being a Force equipped, trained, and ready to wage War with very short notice.
https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/y...ar-zone-fight/
The U/SN ran up on the rocks when Reagan called for a Six Hundred Ship Navy.....and ships got built that would not have crews in the latter years of the program.
Then SecNav, John Lehman, did not see to tweak to that and while bragging on the "new" Navy....allowed a real crisis to develop on the personnel side.
The Trump Administration working with Congress recently increased Defense Spending to about Seven Hundred Billion Dollars which will allow for improving the Man Power situation.
The following article was written prior to that thus consideration must be given to that fact while considering what the article describes.
What stands out....is the article addressed the issue prior to the decision to field more Squadrons and buying more aircraft.
If the Air Force could not keep up with manning needs then....and the civilian economy is much improved....thus making Civilian Jobs more available and at higher pay than the Military can offer, along with the improved lifestyle that exists in Civilian Life.....will the Air Force be able to man effectively man these new units?
New enlistments can meet the numerical goal for Total Force Personnel Numbers....but that means you have Entry Level Engineers, Pilots, etc....and a shortage of experienced personnel due to turnover and failed Retention.
That situation can be fatal to Mission Accomplishment....that being a Force equipped, trained, and ready to wage War with very short notice.
https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/y...ar-zone-fight/
Last edited by SASless; 27th Oct 2018 at 12:35.
