2016
205 topics in this forum
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2/19/2016 - DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Arizona -- Teamwork and ongoing process improvement efforts at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group resulted in an early shipment of the first of seven refurbished outer wing sets for the MC-130H Combat Talon IIs operated by Air Force Special Operations Command. The 309th AMARG is based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, and is a geographically separated unit within the Ogden Air Logistics Complex at Hill AFB, Utah. The MC-130H, a specialized, low density/high-demand platform, is currently undergoing accelerated programmed depot maintenance at Robins AFB, Georgia. And, since the aircraft is limited…
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The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing oversees the busiest aerial port of debarkation in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The wing plays a major logistical role in getting needed supplies downrange. The C-130H Hercules in particular stands out as the only aircraft versatile enough to help the 386th complete this mission. “A lot of places that (C-130s) are going to are unimproved strips, smaller strips, air strips that are as small as 3,000 feet,” said Maj. Ken Fechter, 386th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Aircraft Maintenance Unit officer in charge. SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing oversees the busiest aerial port o…
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The 440th Airlift Wing has dropped its last paratroopers into the skies above Fort Bragg. The Air Force Reserve wing, slated for inactivation later this year, quietly conducted it's last airborne operation with Fort Bragg soldiers Wednesday. As the sun set, both literally and figuratively, on the wing's mission to support Bragg troops, about 330 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers were dropped from one of the wing's remaining C-130H planes. After a nearly two year fight to save the wing, many believe the battle is over and the 440th -- first slated to be closed in the 2015 Air Force budget -- will be inactivated this fall. Despite sever…
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Airmen at Fort Bragg are preparing to bid farewell to their C-130H cargo planes, days after the Air Force notified Congress they would move forward on shuttering the installation's lone airlift wing. Crews are pouring over each of the eight planes belonging to the 440th Airlift Wing, which is slated to be inactivated by the end of September. "It's a very emotional process for everyone involved," said Col. Sharon Johnson, commander of the 440th Maintenance Group. With the unit's inactivation later this year, Johnson said the process of transferring the aircraft has been accelerated. In the coming weeks, officials expect the planes to be moved to their new ho…
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A mainstay aircraft at the 58th Special Operations Wing since its arrival in 1992, the MC-130H Combat Talon II is no more. The last Talon II, tail number 86-1699 c/n 5026 , departed for the 19th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., Aug. 2. As the sun rose on the Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., flight line, it also set on the on an era for the 58th and its 550th Special Operations Squadron. “It’s extremely emotional,” said Col. Doug Carroll, 58th Special Operations Wing vice commander who was part of the crew tasked with delivering the aircraft to Hurlburt. “This is truly the end of an era.” The particular aircraft and aircraft type have been …
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Military operations are complex. Attacking an adversary requires significant coordination and communication between a commander and their fighters. The fog and friction of war means that even the best laid plans are often adapted on the fly, and competent leaders need the ability to redirect their forces in real-time in order to react to enemy actions. If a commander can’t issue orders, his capabilities are severely degraded and his likelihood of success plummets. Attacking those lines of communication is an effective, innovative way to reduce an enemy’s capability. The U.S. Air Force knows this, and they use that knowledge every day in the fight against the Islamic St…
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The 815th Airlift Squadron “Flying Jennies”, an Air Force Reserve unit assigned to the 403rd Wing here, flew a four-aircraft training exercise today, their first multi-element training mission since the squadron found out in 2015 that it was no longer scheduled for inactivation. The 815th AS is a tactical airlift unit that uses 10 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to transport supplies, equipment and personnel in a theater of operation. The four aircraft flown for this mission were training on performing airdrops to a forward operating base and employing countermeasures to avoid enemy fire. Maj. Mark Suckow, 815th AS pilot, said that normally for this type of missi…
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A long-haul truck must be maintained to continue operating safely and efficiently for the driver. This involves regular inspections, oil changes, tire rotations, parts replacements and tune-ups. Now imagine if that truck weighed hundreds of thousands of pounds, was required to travel hundreds of miles per hour, — and flew. Aircraft maintainers come face-to-face with those challenges every day; they are responsible for putting the 81st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron’s C-130J Hercules in the air. “The maintenance mission for us is to keep the aircraft reliable and safe at all times, so we can do our mission of search and rescue at any time and short notice when call…
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Saber Junction is U.S. Army Europe's annual combat training center certification exercise designed to evaluate the readiness of one of its two combat brigades to conduct unified land operations (a simultaneous combination of offensive, defensive and stability missions), with an emphasis on tactical interoperability among allied and partner-nation forces. This year the exercise focused on the 173rd Airborne Brigade, Vincenza, Italy, and took place from March 31 - April 24. Saber Junction is U.S. Army Europe's annual combat training center certification exercise designed to evaluate the readiness of one of its two combat brigades to conduct unified land operation…
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Painting a C-130H with a new glossy paint scheme doesn’t happen very often in the Corrosion Control Flight at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex. Most of the time its professional cadre of aircraft painters spray on the customary flat gray color familiar on many a surface of weapon systems that visit Robins from across the globe. But earlier this month things turned a bit more colorful inside one hangar on the flight line, thanks to a visit from one particular aircraft making its way through the final stages of programmed depot maintenance here. During its visit here, the Coast Guard aircraft received a new center wing box, replacement of its outer…
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The engine cranked on as vibrations coursed through the cargo bay. Outside the small windows, he could see the propellers spinning into action as his C-130 taxied out for departure from the 136th Airlift Wing at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas. Secured to one side of the bay, he acclimated to the constant hum of the aircraft and as they took off, he braced and prepared for the bumpy ride to destinations unknown. For the rest of the aircrew, this occurrence was a regular day at the office, but for Airman 1st Class John Karley, 136th Maintenance Squadron propulsion technician, this was all a first. Karley had worked on C-130’s for more than two yea…
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What started out as an aircraft used by the Coast Guard will soon end up in the hands of the U.S. Forest Service. A C-130H that has been maintained by the 560th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron is in its final stages of programmed depot maintenance here, having just wrapped up functional test procedures. The aircraft’s final visit will be to corrosion control where it will receive a new paint job before it leaves. Although the aircraft has remained at Robins longer than anticipated, due to the transfer to the Forest Service and unforeseen production issues while on station, it is scheduled to fly out in August when it will serve a different role – fighting fires as its…
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They’ve been among us for a century now. They look like any other American citizen, blending with the crowd, living normal lives and working normal jobs. These inconspicuous men and women are far from ordinary; inside each one of them beats the heart of a wingman, leader and warrior. They’re Citizen Airmen, and for ten decades they have volunteered time and again to protect and preserve their country in extraordinary ways. This week Air Force Reserve Command recognizes their efforts by highlighting some of their special missions. To recognize and honor 100 years of Reserve Air Power, AFRC hosted a commemorative event at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, June 28 - 29, 2016,…
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Air Force C-130 cargo aircraft designed for firefighting may be used to help battle deadly wildfires scorching thousands of acres in Tennessee, an official said. Air Force Reserve Command is standing by to deploy C-130s equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System, or MAFFS, which drop hundreds of pounds of fire retardant, according to Ann Skarban, a spokeswoman for the Air Force's 302nd Airlift Wing. The U.S. Forest Service, the entity responsible for requesting the MAFFS units, hasn't yet determined whether it will require the aircraft but a plan is in place if necessary, Skarban said. The 302nd Airlift Wing, which houses the aircraft at Peterso…
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C-130 Modernization The Air Force is progressing with a massive technological overhaul of its warzone-tested C-130 aircraft, giving the platform new radios, digital avionics, collision avoidance technology and reinforced "wing-boxes," service officials said. The Air Force remains vigilant about its C-130 fleet to ensure the airframes, wingboxes, avionics and communication systems remain safe and operational well into the 2030s and beyond. This is particularly true of the older 1980s-era C-130Hs, Air Force developers explained. “The thing that causes the greatest risk to the airplane is the life of the wing. We monitor the wing of the aircraft and as the …
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Scorching, humid temperatures have a way of killing summer fun. But this year, the sticky air could bring an ugly visitor — Zika. The virus poses a threat to service members across 190 Defense Department installations in areas where Zika-carrying mosquitoes could migrate. Luckily, the 910th Airlift Wing is already in the business of killing insects. Members of the wing out of the Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, said they’re already up and running about the country spraying for their busy mosquito season. “It’s not just for the nuisance of them, but they’re also capable of spreading diseases as well,” said Capt. Jonathan Blackann, 757th Airlift Squadro…
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The Air Force mismanaged its inventory of spare C-130J Super Hercules parts, building up a stockpile worth tens of millions of dollars, according to a newly released report by the Pentagon’s top watchdog. Maintenance and contracting officials were primarily focused on ensuring that spare parts were available and effective, but didn’t have adequate controls in place to prevent unneeded parts from being purchased, said the DoD Inspector General. “As a result, the Air Force paid Lockheed Martin and Rolls-Royce to accumulate Air Force–owned excess C-130J spare parts inventory,” according to the IG report How much excess inventory was accumulated by …
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Air Force officials told lawmakers Tuesday that the service is giving priority to its mobility aircraft as it funds upgrades necessary so that the planes can fly over U.S. airspace in accordance with new Federal Aviation Administration mandates going into effect in 2020. Under the new rules, all aircraft, including military, must be equipped with the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system, which continually broadcasts an aircraft's position, identity and velocity over an unencrypted data system to render the most accurate picture for air traffic management. Military aircraft will be able to alter their identifiers when necessary for security reasons. …
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In a $7.2 billion wish list of items the Air Force will submit to Congress, the service is asking for funds to restore the five F-35 joint strike fighters and eight C-130J transport planes it was forced to cut in its latest budget request. The document is par for the course of the Pentagon’s budget season. Congress asks for a so-called “unfunded priorities list” from each of the armed services every year. Lawmakers can choose to add funding to buy the requested items or ignore the request altogether. This year, the Air Force requested $7.2 billion in total, including about $2.9 billion to buy back capability the service cut in its fiscal year 2017 budget…
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In dramatic fashion, a U.S. Air Force C-130J swept through the Hub City skies last week, landing in full force for the first time on the new crosswind runway at the Belen Alexander Municipal Airport. The dignitaries on the ground for the inaugural landing stood in awe with cell phones in hand pointed to the sky to capture the moment that’s been years in the making. The 58th Special Operations Wing out of Kirtland Air Force Base, along with the150th Special Operations Wing New Mexico Air National Guard unit will also use the runway. Col. Brenda Cartier, the commander of the 58th Special Operations Wing, stood on the loading ramp in the rear of the plane T…
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Charlotte may not be home to the Air National Guard's C-130 planes much longer. The plane based at Charlotte Douglas International Airport are often used to fight wildfires and have operated out of Charlotte since the 1960s. But starting in 2018 the Air Force wants to station C-17 planes in Charlotte instead. They're much larger and are used to transport large, heavy cargo. Officials have not said where the C-130s may end up. Source: http://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/air-national-guard-c-130s-may-be-removed-from-charlotte/92786812 View full article
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A C-130J Super Hercules comes to a screeching halt on a runway less than half the length of those typically used at stateside airfields. The cargo bay door is opened onto a pitch black airstrip – a shock for those used to seeing bright lights guiding pilots down the ramp. The airfield is near Farah, a remote location in western Afghanistan. For C-130J pilots belonging to the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron out of Bagram Airfield this is exactly the atypical situation they train for. “The crews always love the challenge – getting the Herk dirty, that’s what we live for,” said Lt. Col. Sarah Santoro, the 774th EAS commander. Afghanistan has been called the “He…
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The Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center conducted a demonstration flight showcasing engine upgrades to the C-130H aircraft here, October 20. This upgrade, to the Rolls-Royce T56 Series 3.5 engine, has already been approved for the LC-130s used by the New York Air National Guard in support of the National Science Foundation, and now the ANG is evaluating rolling out the upgrade to the rest of its legacy C-130H fleet. ANG Director Lt. Gen. L. Scott Rice lauded the new engine's improvements in performance and reliability. "The Series 3.5 engine upgrade certainly increased the performance on time and fuel flow and altitude," said Rice. "So it's a…
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On 18 April, the Lockheed Martin KC-130H-382-C82D HERCULES reg. TC-69 (c/n 4814 ) arrived at its new home base, I Brigada Aérea of El Palomar, from L-3 Platform Integration in Waco, TX/USA. Rockwell Collins’ Flight2 avionics system has been selected for the Argentine Air Force (AAF) C-130 upgrade program, where work began in late 2014 with prime contractor L-3 Platform Integration to install equipment on five aircraft. Included in the avionics upgrade is a full glass cockpit with new primary flight displays, Required Navigation Performance/Area Navigation flight management system with High Altitude Release Point/Computed Air Release Point precision air drop softw…
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On 18 April, the Lockheed Martin KC-130H-382-C82D HERCULES reg. TC-69 (c/n 4814 ) arrived at its new home base, I Brigada Aérea of El Palomar, from L-3 Platform Integration in Waco, TX/USA. Rockwell Collins’ Flight2 avionics system has been selected for the Argentine Air Force (AAF) C-130 upgrade program, where work began in late 2014 with prime contractor L-3 Platform Integration to install equipment on five aircraft. Included in the avionics upgrade is a full glass cockpit with new primary flight displays, Required Navigation Performance/Area Navigation flight management system with High Altitude Release Point/Computed Air Release Point precision air drop softw…
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