RAF C-130J's to be retired early?
they have no choice - they're now out of service, no-one is going to buy anymore and TBH the likelihood is MORE cuts not less
As a former Flight Engineer on C130A-E & H models I am disappointed to read that the RAF has phased out of service the venerable Herk. It seems to me that with over 70 countries using the type and oer 2500 having been built and more to come the C130 is the most versatile medium lift transport ever built. I hope the RAF does not regret the move in years to come.
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"Every cloud has a silver lining, allegedly theres a dozen countries looking at buying them, so the UK might get a decent price for them"
Yeah just like we did for the Harriers!
Yeah just like we did for the Harriers!
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For those that are old enough to remember the ‘K versus J’ thread from around 2004 the latter was slagged off mightily as being unfit for its job compared to the veteran Klassic, despite the 30 years shift in technology. Fast forward to today and it’s now the J on a pedestal and irreplaceable and the A400M that’s not up to it.
Can we look forward another 30 years to similar lamentation regarding the impending retirement of the Atlas and the total unsuitability of its replacement by an AI controlled VTOL nuclear powered transport…?
Can we look forward another 30 years to similar lamentation regarding the impending retirement of the Atlas and the total unsuitability of its replacement by an AI controlled VTOL nuclear powered transport…?
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For those that are old enough to remember the ‘K versus J’ thread from around 2004 the latter was slagged off mightily as being unfit for its job compared to the veteran Klassic, despite the 30 years shift in technology. Fast forward to today and it’s now the J on a pedestal and irreplaceable and the A400M that’s not up to it.
Can we look forward another 30 years to similar lamentation regarding the impending retirement of the Atlas and the total unsuitability of its replacement by an AI controlled VTOL nuclear powered transport…?
Can we look forward another 30 years to similar lamentation regarding the impending retirement of the Atlas and the total unsuitability of its replacement by an AI controlled VTOL nuclear powered transport…?
But I think the fundamental difference here is the J came good, but many see the A400 as a different AC that fulfills a different requirement. And do we have enough of them? The fact that they are being retired earlier than planned doesn't help either.
Will it ever be able to do everything the Herc did? Thinking of niche and special capabilities. I guess time will tell.
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Will it ever be able to do everything the Herc did? Thinking of niche and special capabilities. I guess time will tell.
The A400M is a capable aircraft with better performance than the C130, and nicer to fly, but I think it’s Achille’s Heel is it’s complexity and servicing which has led to low availability (although the same was said of the J…). As you say, time will tell.
The blurb in the HMG advert for the sale of the UK's Js actually points out to prospective purchasers that it is the delivery vehicle of choice for special forces. The clear but unstated implication being that henceforth the UK's special forces will have to make do with an aircraft that isn't their delivery vehicle of choice. But yes, fingers crossed Atlas will come good in the same way that the J did. Meanwhile Germany, which I don't think aspires to quite the global reach that the UK aspires to, is scraping by with 53 A400Ms...
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USMC paid $29.7 million for the C-130J they got from RAF. Don't know if that included the cost of refurbishment to USMC requirements which included removing the refueling probe, eliminating external fuel/refueling tanks, changing instrument readouts from metric and repainting.
USMC paid $29.7 million for the C-130J they got from RAF. Don't know if that included the cost of refurbishment to USMC requirements which included removing the refueling probe, eliminating external fuel/refueling tanks, changing instrument readouts from metric and repainting.
USMC paid $29.7 million for the C-130J they got from RAF. Don't know if that included the cost of refurbishment to USMC requirements which included removing the refueling probe, eliminating external fuel/refueling tanks, changing instrument readouts from metric and repainting.
I was always under the impression that the Blue Angels are operated by the US Navy and had just one USMC pilot flying the F18s and 3 flying in the C130.
Photos of them clearly show 'US Navy' painted on the aircraft.
Photos of them clearly show 'US Navy' painted on the aircraft.
The support plane, fat albert has always been a USMC C-130, the USN dont have any C-130's. Fat Albert is technically USN, but its flown and maintained by the USMC
If you're talking about Fat Albert:
"removing the refueling probe, eliminating external fuel/refueling tanks,"
Why???
Why???