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Air Force officials deliver first C-130 to Polish military


Metalbasher
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U.S. Air Forces in Europe Public Affairs

3/27/2009 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) -- American and Polish airmen delivered the first of five refurbished C-130E Hercules military transport planes and spare parts March 24 to the Polish air force at Powidz Air Base, Poland.

"It's a great day for them to celebrate the arrival of the Hercules. It's vital to them being able to -- own their own -- organically pick up and go," said Air Force Maj. Gen. William A. Chambers, the U.S. Air Forces in Europe director of air and space operations.

"They're one of our allies who are very willing to go," he said. "Whether it is Afghanistan or Iraq, they've been alongside the Americans in both fights. The 'Herc' is a great symbol of the American-Polish partnership, and we're grateful to be alongside them."

It was a sentiment echoed by Polish Brig. Gen. Tadeusz Mikutel, the 33rd Air Base commander.

"This is a milestone for our air defense. The plane is able to carry 17 tons of equipment or 90 equipped soldiers. That is why the plane will leave (our) CASA planes behind," General Mikutel said.

Also on hand for the celebration were Stanislaw Komorowski, Poland's vice minister of defense; Polish Lt. Gen. Andrzej Blasik, commander of the Polish air force; Pamela Quanrud, the deputy chief of mission for the American Embassy in Warsaw; and several Polish military and local government authorities.

The new plane expands the Polish air force's ability to transport troops and equipment, while providing support for evacuation and humanitarian operations. Its presence in the Polish fleet will also increase their interoperability with other air forces because the C-130 is used by several nations around the world, to include NATO allies.

The C-130 received an escort to Powidz AB by F-16s from the Polish air force when it neared its final destination, and performed two flyovers of the gathered crowd to showcase the newest addition to the Polish inventory. Upon landing, both the American and Polish crews were recognized for the achievement.

"I think we can accomplish a lot of missions to deliver cargo to our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq," said Polish Sgt. Andrzej Kozera, a C-130 flight engineer.

The Reserve aircrew from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and an active-duty loadmaster from Edwards AFB, Calif., picked the plane up in Waco, Texas, with their Polish counterparts after its refurbishment and flew it across the Atlantic, stopping at Ramstein AB. It made its final leg to Powidz AB, where it will become part of the 14th Lift Squadron.

The entire project, including total refurbishment of five aircraft, support equipment, supplies, training and contracted logistics support, is valued at $120 million. The donation is a result of an American pledge to provide Poland with such a capability, and is fully funded through bilateral military assistance grant money.

The delivery of the five modernized and upgraded aircraft is scheduled to be complete in the summer of 2010.

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U.S. Air Forces in Europe Public Affairs

3/27/2009 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) -- American and Polish airmen delivered the first of five refurbished C-130E Hercules military transport planes and spare parts March 24 to the Polish air force at Powidz Air Base, Poland...

Some pictures here:

http://www.jetstream.pl/web/galeria/24.Pierwszy%20Hercules.html?PHPSESSID=a3d7e01eeae1530cebd1d3e97658fe8b

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WOW, I saw that some of the old AWADS birds were going to Poland. Did they install a different RADAR system into it? If not, I wonder who is supporting the system.

I see they took the SKE system off as well.

Edited by tinyclark
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Just a question to Herky's pilots: is it normal that a C-130E with a spare engine and a spare propeller lands in clean configuration (flaps up)?

I have carried many a spare engine and prop. The only No Flap landings were ones to to some other reason we couldn't get the flaps down or during a severe X-wind.

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Thanks a lot. There was relatively strong wind (slightly X..) and snow just before the landing. So probably this is the reason

...or they were just shooting some touch and goes. The crew was getting some training. Very nice pics for whoever took them.

175 Radar is gone. The nipple was left on the radome because it would have costed more money to put another radome on the airplane.

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That radome with the anti-ice will cost a whole lot more to maintain than a standard radome. That old radome is fragile because of the thin layer (0.125" thickness) of the honeycomb. Repairs and testing will cost an arm and a leg.....

The new standard C-130 nose radome is P/N 3333921-1 and was designed for compatibility with the APN-241. It also has the lightning diverter strips, which affords some protection for the radar and the radome.

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The entire project, including total refurbishment of five aircraft, support equipment, supplies, training and contracted logistics support, is valued at $120 million. The donation is a result of an American pledge to provide Poland with such a capability, and is fully funded through bilateral military assistance grant money.

Why can't we get a deal like that......

Oh, I forgot, those old planes ain't worth it. We need Jays.

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Does anybody here know current or recent Cost per Flight Hour (CPFH) figures for C-130E? I read a paper from a conference on ageing aircraft that took place in States in 2002 or 2003 in which LMAero's engineers estimated radicale increase of CPFH for USAF's C-130Es up to some 12000 $ in 2006. Is it real or another marketing action supporting "J" model?

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