RAF C-130J's to be retired early?

[SLXOwft]

ZM421 the last of the original order was delivered in May this year, ZM420 was delivered last October having been used for trials by Airbus for over two years, the first 20 were delivered by mid-2018. A jam tomorrow small follow on order by the end of the decade was floated in the last review but the NAO have called it unaffordable. So in reality unless Labour shock everyone with a realistic uplift in defence spending it ain't going to happen. So unless there are ME types e.g. P-8 with a current crew shortage or increased operational intensity requires more crew or slots for Wedgetail - the public face of shortage is FJ pilots, particularly F-35, but that may just be media ignorance/bias. (Crossed with pr00ne and VM - distracted by the cricket)

[sfm818]

Originally Posted by pr00ne

You are ignoring the current RAF aircrew shortage caused by a disfunctional training and selection system. The 47 Sqn crews will be very welcome gap fillers.

There is prescedent - one of our number on AD in the 70's was part of a trial to cross train a few pilots from the multi-engine community (C-130's) onto fast jets - he made the conversion and went on to a distinguished FJ career.

Add. Of all the squadrons disbanded in recent times 47 will be missed.

[bugged on the right]

Originally Posted by waterbottle

You obviously haven’t spent any time in NZ lately.

Oh dear, another one bites the dust. No I haven't been in NZ since the 80s. It was a piece of heaven on earth. Great scenery, fun and friendly messes

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by bugged on the right

Oh dear, another one bites the dust. No I haven't been in NZ since the 80s. It was a piece of heaven on earth. Great scenery, fun and friendly messes

And 'Our' Andovers which we should have kept.

[Asturias56]

Originally Posted by bugged on the right

Oh dear, another one bites the dust. No I haven't been in NZ since the 80s. It was a piece of heaven on earth. Great scenery, fun and friendly messes

true for a visitor but a lot of the locals take off to work in Australia.................

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by Asturias56

true for a visitor but a lot of the locals take off to work in Australia.................

Leaving the Australians to come here.

[Asturias56]

All are welcome - except 11 at Edgbaston of course

[beamer]

47 was my first Squadron - I wish all those still there, all the very best on their future careers whether it be in Blue or in the airlines.

[artee]

Originally Posted by Asturias56

true for a visitor but a lot of the locals take off to work in Australia.................

"Raising the average IQ of both countries"

[bugged on the right]

I'm an Aussie, artee and I believe you are right. Oz has transformed from a land of resilient,tough, irreverent larrikins to a weak, frightened self absorbed flock of girly boys.

[BEagle]

bugged on the right, presumably you share the enlightened views of 'Chopper' on the emasculation of Oz mate culture and his exhortation to Australians to 'harden up'?

(WARNING - woke snowflakes might feel offended. I hope so!!)

You Tube

[bugged on the right]

Thanks for that Beags. I believe Chopper's advice is applicable to all of the Western world but the way things have changed in my homeland is heartbreaking. Was on Hercs in the 80s and can only say they were the best of times.

[Kick the tyres]

Titanic Submarine Missing

This may be a little off topic but with early retirement of the C130J, has the Submarine Parachute Assistance Group now lost its ability to assist in sub rescues via the air delivery of its equipment to the scene?

Is this unfortunate event a timely reminder of why we shouldn't gap certain capabilities?

[Asturias56]

I'd imagine you could still do it from an A400 but I guess it's a capability that is rarely used and so may vbe deemed not "Cost effective"

[WB627]

Originally Posted by Asturias56

I'd imagine you could still do it from an A400 but I guess it's a capability that is rarely used and so may vbe deemed not "Cost effective"

Until you lose a sub

[esscee]

ZH868 landed at Marshalls lunchtime, Last flight in RAF colours?

[Asturias56]

Originally Posted by WB627

Until you lose a sub

true but then you'd have to have the stats they showed how often they'd saved one. I don't -

I know they were deployed to help the Argentineans but the boat had sunk

[NutLoose]

https://twitter.com/Callsign_Kodak/s...C98Zfny6kuAAAA

Twitter

https://twitter.com/RoryTrappe/statu...79627799707655

​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​https://twitter.com/AliMortonali/sta...Czmf_f0KkuAAAA

​​​​​​​

[SLXOwft]

Originally Posted by Asturias56

true but then you'd have to have the stats they showed how often they'd saved one. I don't -

I know they were deployed to help the Argentineans but the boat had sunk

I believe the equipment pods were delivered to Argentina by C-17 but a Herc was also deployed. IIRC there were more A400 CDS and low level parachute insertion trials at the end of last year, have no idea about ULLA equivalent but I would have thought that give the missing capabilities are niche special forces ones and that SPAG could be deployed in support of SSBNs it's a box that needed ticking. A400 will get there in the end and we should support the guys and gals making sure it does. For me the issue is loss of capacity not capability, as someone said at the HoC Defence procurement sub-committee why is the UK shrinking its AT fleet when our allies seem to be growing theirs.

[esscee]

Yet another one goes. ZH871 landed at Marshalls lunchtime.