2015
180 topics in this forum
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France formally decided to order four C-130J Super Hercules aircraft from the US, marking a major step toward filling a pressing need for tactical transport and in-flight refueling, two French defense specialists said. "Our defense minister has just authorized the purchase of four US C-130Js," one of the sources said Dec. 15. That key decision was taken at a Dec. 15 meeting of the ministerial investment committee and clears the way for French officials to negotiate a purchase and speedy delivery under a foreign military sale deal, the second source said. The sources declined to give their names as they were not cleared for briefing on a subject …
Last reply by casey, -
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For those who may have missed it (I am one of you), below is a link to the Fast and the Furious 7 trailer. International Air Response's C-130 N119TG (USAF 57-0520, n138FF) c/n 3227 is looking good for her age but I do have to say, she is getting a little wide in the middle. View full article
Last reply by jflimbach, -
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Cascade Aerospace has completed a first test flight of the Mexican Air Force's (FAM) upgraded C-130K Hercules aircraft from its base in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. In November 2013, the company received a contract as part of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Canadian and Mexican Governments, for maintenance and modernization of FAM's two C-130K aircraft. The C-130K maintenance and modernization program was initiated in 2014. It involved an upgrade of the avionics system. including the installation and integration of Rockwell Collins Flight 2 avionics suite, digital fuel quantity indication, and engine instrument display systems. The aircr…
Last reply by casey, -
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The Army and Air Force planes, which were carrying 13 people on separate training exercises, declared emergencies and landed safely, the report said.The Army Special Operations Command C-27J and the Air Force C-130H collided about eight miles south of Camp Mackall around 8:22 p.m. on Dec. 1.The C-27 was traveling from the Laurinburg-Maxton airport to two drop zones for simulated airdrops. The C-130 was performing an escape maneuver to egress the Luzon Drop Zone after completing a visual Container Delivery System airdrop, according to the report, which the newspaper obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.The right wingtip of the C-27 grazed the right underside of …
Last reply by DC10FE, -
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Special Ops Gunship Pilots to Get Fighter-Style Helmet Sights New helmet sights to be introduced on U.S. Air Force AC-130W Stinger II gunships in the next two years will improve situational awareness and responsiveness, and enable their pilots to better support ground forces and employ precision weapons from a safe distance. The upgrade is part of a system integration that also includes the re-installation of 105mm gun and introduction of Hellfire missiles. Lessons learned from overseas contingency operations have modified the near-term fire-support requirements of the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), resulting in a demand for more gunship aircraft. In May 2012 …
Last reply by larry myers, -
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The AC-130J Ghostrider Will Get A Big Ass Gun Afterall It is no secret that the AC-130 fleet is changing. Once defined by their bristling cannons, the new breed of AC-130s are all about guided bombs and a slew of smart weapons, with just a single, direct fire 30mm cannon being fitted. Luckily, sharper minds have prevailed at AFSOC and now the AC-130Js will get the massive 105mm cannon they rightfully deserve. Lt. General Bradley Heithold, the head of the AFSOC, swears by the AC-130's 105mm howitzer, told Breakingdefense.com that it's both more accurate and way less expensive than the precision guided munitions it was intended to replace. He credits the gun's precision…
Last reply by casey, -
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WASHINGTON — Six U.S. service members and five contractors were killed in a C-130 crash at Jalalabad Airport in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said late Thursday. The crash, which occurred just after midnight Friday Afghanistan time, involved a C-130J assigned to the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, which is part of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing. The airport at Jalalabad, located about 100 miles east of Kabul, is used only for military and United Nations flights. In a post online, the Taliban claimed they had shot down the aircraft, killing 15 “invaders” plus several Afghan “hirelings.” However, U.S. Air Force Maj. Tony Wickman, a spokesman for the 455th said, “Enemy f…
Last reply by loadsmith, -
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The Chilean Air Force (FACh) took delivery of a Lockheed Martin KC-130R Hercules in mid-April, as confirmed by social media images available since 20 April. The KC-130R is a former USMC aircraft offered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency as an Excess Defense Article (EDA) in September 2012 at the symbolic price of USD700,000. A second KC-130R was offered in August 2013 and is also expected to be delivered in 2015. When both KC-130Rs are delivered they will increase Group No 10's active fleet to five, since there are currently two C-130Hs and one C-130B in service. View original article: http://www.janes.com/article/50954/chile-takes-delivery-of-first-of-two-…
Last reply by LAGOW, -
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The L-382G that Coulson is converting into an air tanker was at McClellan earlier this week for static testing of the tank system and will be in Lancaster, California on May 4 for grid tests. The L-382G is the civilian version of Lockheed’s C-130H-30, which is the stretched H model. The tank has a capacity of 36,000 pounds. There is not much agreement about the exact weight of retardant, but Britton Coulson said they expect to carry about 4,250 USG. “Even with a full tank and 3 to 4 hours of fuel”, Mr. Coulson said, “we are still almost 20,000 pounds under our max gross weight so we are still no where near maxing out the airplane.” The interior of the L-382G showing…
Last reply by DC10FE, -
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MARIETTA, Ga., March 24, 2015 – Three variants of the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft were recently delivered to U.S. military operators from the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] Aeronautics facility located here. On March 19, a U.S. Air Force crew took delivery of and ferried an MC-130J Commando II Special Operations tanker aircraft that is assigned to Air Force Special Operations Command’s 353rd Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan. (12-5763 c/n 5763)Photo by Andrew McMurtrie. On March 24, a U.S. Air Force crew ferried an HC-130J Combat King II personnel recovery aircraft assigned to Air Combat Command’s (ACC) 347th Rescue Group at Moody Air Force Base, Geo…
Last reply by P3_Super_Bee, -
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The Air Force’s prototype AC-130J Ghostrider gunship is grounded, pending investigation of an in-flight incident that occurred during a test sortie from Eglin AFB, Fla., earlier this year, according to Air Force Materiel Command. The aircraft “returned to base and safely landed without further incident or any injuries to the crew" after the April 21 mishap, the command told Air Force Magazine in a statement on Monday. AFMC officials on June 15 elevated the accident from a Class-C mishap after "structural analysis suggested damage greater than the $2 million monetary threshold for a Class-A incident," reads the statement. The AC-130J prototype suffered a similar mishap whe…
Last reply by PerfManJ, -
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Investigators declared the first prototype AC-130J Ghostrider gunship a total loss after the airframe was severely overstressed after departing controlled flight during a test sortie from Eglin AFB, Fla., officials announced. As a result of the incident, "the mishap aircraft exceeded its design limit load to an extent that rendered it unsafe for flight and is considered a total loss to the Air Force," according to Air Force Materiel Command's Accident Investigation Board report, released on Nov. 6. The crew was performing a high-angle, side-slip at Eglin AFB, Fla., during handling tests of the developmental gunship when the aircraft departed controlled flight at 15,000 f…
Last reply by rsq herk, -
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Click here: More than 110 killed in Indonesian military plane crash - Al Jazeera English
Last reply by BRlang, -
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Vibration problems threaten to delay the AC-130J The U.S. Air Force’s newest AC-130J Ghostrider gunships will enter service later than expected because of plans to load extra weapons on the four-engine planes. But the Pentagon’s top weapons tester is even more worried that other nagging problems could hold up the aircraft.In 2014, crews had trouble picking out targets because the two prototypes were shaking so much in the air, according to the latest annual report from the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation. On top of that, one of the aircraft had a mid-air accident that completely shut down test flights. “Several problems require resolution and will affect the …
Last reply by P3_Super_Bee, -
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The first airframe designated to test the up-gunned AC-130J Ghostrider-configuration was delivered for conversion earlier this month, Air Force Special Operations Command spokeswoman Capt. Victoria Porto told Air Force Magazine. MC-130J serial number 13-5772 c/n 5772, which was ferried from Lockheed Martin's production facility in Marietta, Ga., to Crestview, Fla., on Sept. 10, will become the fourth Ghostrider prototype. The first three airframes were built to Block 10 standards with a 30mm gun, low-yield precision-guided weapons, and high definition sensors. The fourth aircraft will be the first Block 20 airframe armed with the 105mm weapon. "There's a little bit of del…
Last reply by P3_Super_Bee, -
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Terma and Lockheed Martin have signed a contract for the integration of the Elettronica ELT/572 directional infrared counter measures (DIRCM) on the Italian Air Force's C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. The contract will see the installation of DIRCM on some aircraft of Italy's C-130J/KC-130J fleet. Lockheed Martin C-130 Programs vice-president and general manager George Shultz said: "This integrated DIRCM system provides the Italian Air Force' C-130Js with an essential self-defense capability that protects aircrews as they support a number of vital missions around the world." The new development will mark the first fully integrated DIRCM solution installation on C-130J …
Last reply by casey, -
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6/12/2015 - MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Airmen from the 71st Aircraft Maintenance Unit paired with the 23d Civil Engineering Squadron to transport a retired HC-130P Combat King from the flightline to the President George W. Bush Airpark on May 14, here. After multiple deployments with the 71st Rescue Squadron, the C-130 with tail number 65-988 joined seven fighter aircraft in the airpark. "This aircraft was an important part of what we do here at Moody for a lot of years and it's ties to our history run pretty deep," said Kenneth Sloat, 23d Wing historian. "Tail number 988 has been a part of eight different rescue squadrons over the years. It probably participated in m…
Last reply by casey, -
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Rolls-Royce has delivered its 2,000th AE 2100 engine, which was installed onto a US Air Force C-130J by Lockheed Martin. This major milestone reflects the continued success of Rolls-Royce as the world’s leading engine manufacturer for military transport. The AE 2100 line has proven itself in operations around the globe, accumulating more than 8 million engine flight hours of dependable service, primarily on C-130J aircraft produced by Lockheed Martin. The AE 2100 also powers C-27J aircraft, the Japanese US-2 sea rescue aircraft and a fleet of Saab 2000 civil turboprop aircraft. From military transport to civil passenger service, and from sea rescue to humanitarian effort…
Last reply by casey, -
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The U.S. Forest Service is making one of their HC-130H air tankers, Tanker 118, available for wildfire suppression missions this week. The aircraft is one of seven that are being transferred from the Coast Guard to the USFS, but the titles for all of them still remain with the Coast Guard. The work on Tanker 118 to completely convert it into an air tanker is not complete. It needs a conventional internal gravity-based retardant tank, and obviously, a paint job that will hopefully include some professionally crafted tanker numbers on the tail. Tanker 118 arrived at McClellan Airport on June 17, where maintenance, installation and testing of the Modular Airborne Firefight…
Last reply by CGRetired, -
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Sagem is preparing to offer an armed upgrade package for the French Air Force's Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, company officials told IHS Jane's . The upgrade would include arming the Hercules with the SSA-1101 Gerfaut system, allowing the C-130 to carry and deploy as many as eight Sagem AASM (Armement Air-Sol Modulaire) precision guided munitions (PGMs). The SSA-1101 Gerfaut has been under development since 2012 by Sagem, Rafaut, and AA/ROK. "We can guarantee a range of 30 km for an AASM dropped at 25,000 ft and 190 kt," a Sagem official told IHS Jane's . The company will soon make an unsolicited bid to the French defense procurement agency, the DGA…
Last reply by casey, -
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When it comes to skydiving, Red Bull Air Force team member Jeff Provenzano has got a lot of experience. But jumping out of an airplane while sitting on a living room couch playing video games is one thing he's yet to try. Until now. In his latest stunt, for technology company NVIDIA (they manufacture the kind of computer chips that make smartphones possible, as well producing gaming platforms) Provenzano looks so calm and collected, he could almost take a nap, but instead he focuses on the screen in front of him. We've been told that no less than three living rooms were dropped out of the sky in the filming of this video, but we…
Last reply by casey, -
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MARIETTA, Ga., Dec. 21, 2015 – U.S. Air Force crews recently ferried two additional C-130J Super Hercules aircraft from the Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) facility here. These aircraft are a C-130J-30 Super Hercules assigned to Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, and an HC-130J Combat King II assigned to Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Maj. Gen. Rowayne A. “Wayne” Schatz, Jr., vice commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, flew the C-130J to Little Rock Air Force Base on Dec. 17. Schatz is a command pilot with experience in C-130 E and H models. A U.S. Air Force crew from Moody Air Force Base ferried the HC-130J to its new home on…
Last reply by Snoop28, -
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Workers, volunteers working to get C-130 flying again after 14 years on the ground at Sequoia Field Over the three years that he has worked at the Bob Wiley Detention Facility north of Visalia, Stephen Fagundes frequently has noticed the C-130A (USAF 56-0473, TBM N473TM, Lockheed c/n 3081) Hercules airplane parked on the tarmac at neighboring Sequoia Field Airport. In that time, Fagundes said he hasn't seen the plane move, except for once a couple of months ago when it was turned so its nose faced the northeast. The truth is that the 40-ton airplane, one of the first to come off Lockheed Martin Corps' Georgia assembly line in 1957, hasn't flown in more than 13 years, a…
Last reply by DC10FE, -
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Rick Perry’s presidential campaign rollout Thursday included a mighty big prop, and I am not talking about 260-pound country singer Colt Ford’s campaign rap. The stage backdrop was 13 yards tall, 32 yards long and weighed 38 tons. Did I mention that it was flown into and out of Addison Airport? To project an image as the strong leader for America’s future, Perry’s consultants chose to bring in a 1957 C-130A Hercules, the same plane he flew as an Air Force pilot in the 1970s. To help get this campaign off the ground, his campaign rented the plane and added a campaign logo and sign “Perry for President.” The aircraft is one of five rented by a Mesa, Ariz., company,…
Last reply by casey, -
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TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Experts at the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) successfully overhauled a C-130 Hercules logistic aircraft that had been grounded for ten years. It took technicians at Shahid Doran Air Base in Iran’s southern city of Shiraz some 30,000 man-hours to overhaul the aircraft. The military airplane made successful test flights after the overhaul and returned to service. The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally d…
Last reply by Robert Podboy,