2015
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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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Military budget constraints prompted the Air Force to again cancel an international military competition typically held at Joint Base Lewis-McChord every other year. The Air Force had been expected to restore its biennial Air Mobility Rodeo at JBLM this summer. It announced Friday that the financial pressures that led it cancel the event in 2013 are again forcing it strike plans for this year’s competition. In past years, the rodeo has brought hundreds of airmen from the U.S. Air Force to JBLM for several days of events testing their abilities against each other and against counterparts from France, Germany, Israel, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. They’re tested on skills ra…
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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…
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A major contract to maintain the Royal Air Force’s fleet of US-made Hercules aircraft has been awarded to British companies, safeguarding 1,200 UK jobs. The bulk of the £369m deal to extend the life of the four-engine transport aeroplanes until 2030 will go to Cambridge-based Marshall Aerospace and Defense Group. Under the terms of the six-year contract, about 1,100 jobs around Cambridge servicing the C-130J aircraft, which carry troops and cargo, will be protected. A further 100 jobs at Rolls-Royce, which will maintain the aircrafts’ engines, and at the UK arm of Lockheed Martin, which will manage the supply chain of parts needed,…
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The House Armed Services Committee advanced an amendment sponsored by Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke that will now go to a full vote as part of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Bill. The amendment directs the secretary of the Air Force to prepare a brief to the committee by Sept. 1 that assesses the locations of C-130 Military Airborne FireFighting Systems. "Montana and other Western states have seen devastating wildfires rage through our lands, taking entire communities and leaving countless fatalities in their wake," Zinke, R-Mont., said in a release. "My amendment will allow the Air Force to improve wildfire readiness and move firefighting capabilities to western …
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MANILA, Philippines - In the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda, the government is eyeing the acquisition of additional C-130 cargo planes – the workhorse in the relief effort. Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, meanwhile, wants P1.5 billion allocated for the repair of three C-130 planes of the Philippine Air Force (PAF). “The recent tragic events have proven one indisputable point: C-130s are essential transport,” Recto said. “They should be high up on the list of disaster response equipment. Their purchase should be part of disaster preparation.” Based on PAF estimates, the cost of refurbishing one C-130 would reach P500 million. Armed Forces chief Gen. Em…
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PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The National Interagency Fire Center has made the request to increase the number of DOD Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130s aiding in the suppression of California wildland fires from two to four Aug. 14. Two Air Force Reserve MAFFS equipped C-130 Hercules from the 302nd Airlift Wing here along with aircrews and support personnel from the Colorado Reserve wing have been activated and performing fire-fighting missions from McClellan Air Field, California, since Aug. 3. The Air Force Reserve C-130s will be joined by aircraft and crews from the 153rd AW, Wyoming Air National Guard and the 145th AW, North Carolina ANG. As …
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A major fire has destroyed much of a factory in Gloucestershire.The blaze began at about midnight in the roof space of Dowty's production facility at Staverton, where propeller systems for aircraft are made. Twenty-nine staff were evacuated from the site and led to safety. No-one was reported as injured.Neil Siddons from GE Aviation, who owns Dowty Propellers, said it had "committed considerable resources" to get the operation back up and running."We are in close contact with our employees, customers, and regulatory authorities," he added.Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service said 80% of the factory building was "severely damaged" by the blaze, which was tackled by 80 f…
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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…
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HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- The first AC-130U Spooky gunship to retire from the active fleet flew from its home here following a small ceremony Sept. 21. The gunship, named "Bad Omen," was delivered to Hurlburt Field Feb. 17, 1995. Following the ceremony, "Bad Omen" flew to it's retirement home with the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Base, Ariz. "'Bad Omen' flew more than 2,300 sorties with approximately 5,600 landings and accumulated more than 10,000 hours," said Karl Cirulis, 4th Special Operations Squadron pilot. "'Bad Omen' was last deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, in December 2013 where it accumulated approximately 600 …
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Captain Katie Higgins is a native of Severna Park, Maryland, and graduated from W.T. Woodson High School in 2004. She attended the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science in 2008, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. Katie then attended Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and graduated with a Masters of Arts in International Security in 2009.Katie reported to Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida, for aviation indoctrination in November 2009. She completed primary flight training in the T-6B Texan II at NAS Whiting Field, Florida, and completed intermediate and advanc…
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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…
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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,…
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Twenty-one years ago today, a fireball passed over hundreds of 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers at Green Ramp, killing 24 and injuring more than 100 others. It was an otherwise lovely day. A clear blue "Carolina" sky -- the perfect day for a Hollywood jump.But when an F-16 and C-130 collided in the skies over what was then Pope Air Force Base, it sent the jet into the runway, crashing into a C-141 and, ultimately, the paratroopers waiting to jump at Green Ramp.To my knowledge, there's no official ceremony this year. In years past, those have been few and far between.But its a safe bet those involved are turning their thoughts to those lost and what could have been toda…
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The 440th Airlift Wing will live on, at least for another year. Air Force Reserve Command has pushed back the inactivation of the unit until at least fall 2016. The 440th had been slated to be inactivated in September, the latest in a series of end dates that have been proposed since the unit was marked for inactivation in March 2014. The latest delay was announced by Col. Karl Schmitkons, commander of the 440th, in a July edition of the unit's newsletter, Combat Airlifter. In the newsletter, Schmitkons says the reduction in force that was set for Sept. 30 was canceled, along with a planned clearing house for the unit's civilian employees and Air Reserve technicians. …
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The Air Force has joined the battle against the Rocky Fire north of San Francisco. Firefighters have gone to Herculean efforts to try to stop the massive fire, but the blaze is not close to being contained. The fire scorched 62,000 acres as of Monday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Four Air Force C-130s equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System are operating out of McClellan Airfield in Sacramento to provide the equivalent of close air support to firefighters on the ground. Two of the C-130s are with the 302nd Airlift Wing, an Air Force Reserve unit based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado; and the other two C-130s come from the 146th Airlift …
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KABUL, Afghanistan - A C-130 Hercules touched down at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, June 20, bringing expanded flight capabilities to the Afghan Air Force. After a weeklong journey beginning at Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas, the arrival of the C-130 in Afghanistan’s capital city illustrates a partnership that will provide increased tactical airlift and mobility operations throughout Afghanistan and beyond. In 2010, coalition partners recognized that C-130s could provide the Afghan Air Force with increased airlift, resupply and casualty evacuation capabilities, and a plan to supply the Afghan Air Force with a fleet of their own was born…
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale of for Lockheed Martin C-130J transports and associated equipment to France. The proposed deal under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program -- administered by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency -- would be worth an estimated $650 million. In addition to two C-120Js and two KC-130Js with Rolls-Royce AE-2100 engines, France's shopping list includes spare engines, AN/ALE 47 electronic counter-measure dispensers, AN/AAR-47A(V)2 missile warning systems, AN/ALR-56M radar warning receivers, embedded Global Positioning/Inertial Navigation systems, and radios. "It…
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PARIS — France has set aside an extra €1.5 billion (US $1.7 billion) to acquire additional equipment, including the C-130 Hercules, and maintain weapon systems over the next four years, reflecting the intense operations of the armed forces in sub-Saharan Africa, defense officials said Wednesday. The fresh funds are part of the €3.8 billion increase in military spending for 2016-2019 that President François Hollande announced April 29 after a meeting of the high-level defense council. Helicopters, transport and inflight refueling aircraft, intelligence gathering, cyber defense and maintenance of equipment are the key elements, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in …
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An acquisition of secondhand Super Hercules C-130Js flown by the British Royal Air Force was one of the options considered by France, which seeks to buy four C-130 transport planes to boost support for troops deployed across sub-Saharan Africa, two defense sources said. The Direction Générale de l'Armement procurement office "raised at the start of December" the option, which sparked some surprise, a French defense specialist said. Britain, which was launch customer for the Super Hercules, is looking to sell the first 10 acquired and hold on to the remaining 14 planes. "The British C-130Js are an option for France," said US Army Col. John "Walt" Kennedy,…
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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 …
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French Ministry of Defence, will place orders for American C-130J according to French internet page Air&Cosmos. Airbus is behind delivery schedule but this does not seem to be main problem. A400M aircraft lacks in-flight refuelling capability for helicopters. The director of Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA), “General Directorate for Armament Laurent Collet-Billon stated that the turmoil of the propellers of the A400M, is too dangerous to refuel helicopters.A team from the DGA is currently in the United States to negotiate the acquisition of C-130J Lockheed Martin that may reach several hundred million USD.In 2014, when delivery of non-compliant A400Ms was refus…
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The 165th Airlift Wing, Georgia Air National Guard received the first of eight C-130 Hercules aircraft upgrades Thursday. The C-130 Hercules, which primarily performs the tactical portion of the airlift mission, is capable of operating from rough, dirt strips and is the prime transport for airdropping troops and equipment into hostile areas. The 165th Airlift Wing will replace its eight C-130H2s with two C-130H2.5 and six C-130H3 that are approximately 15 years newer. The newer aircraft are expected to replace the current fleet by the end of 2016. “Basically, we’re getting a newer model of the C-130. With the replacements, we are gaining enhance…
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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…
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Hercules NZ7001 c/n 4052 turns 50 today, and is spending her birthday doing what she has so often done before – delivering aid in the Pacific.Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) C-130 NZ7001 was the first of five C-130s which arrived at RNZAF Base Auckland in Whenuapai in 1965. Since then, the C-130 has been at the forefront of many New Zealand Defence Force operations, missions and exercises.The hard-working C-130 flew out of Whenuapai on Sunday morning with aid for Tuvalu and picked up more in Suva. After delivering that cargo to Tuvalu, she returned to Suva for the night.Yesterday, she took three pallets of medical supplies and 40 Fijian soldiers to Port Vila in Vanuat…
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