2017
148 topics in this forum
-
- 0 replies
- 983 views
After more than 50 years of faithful service and rescue missions spanning the globe, King 52, the first HC-130P/N configured for Air Force rescue in 1964, retired March 6, 2017. Accompanied by its 920th Rescue Wing dedicated crew chiefs and a nostalgic aircrew, the aircraft, tail number 4852, heads to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, from Patrick AFB, Florida, where it has been stationed since mid-2015. “It was about to retire when we acquired it from Moody Air Force Base,(Georgia),” said Tech. Sgt. Norberto Nieves, a 720th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron expeditor and former crew chief to King 52. “It was a work horse; that’s for sure.” After more …
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 991 views
Personnel from the Train, Advise, Assist, Command – Air (TAAC-Air) and the Afghan Air Force conducted a bilateral casualty evacuation mission and an aerial re-supply training exercise July 9-10. Afghan pilots and U.S. Air Force advisors from the 538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron made the roundtrip C-130 flight from Hamid Karzai International Airport to Kandahar Airfield to drop off supplies and facilitate the movement of wounded Afghan National Defense and Security Force personnel back to Kabul for further treatment. Personnel from the Train, Advise, Assist, Command – Air (TAAC-Air) and the Afghan Air Force conducted a bilateral casualty evacu…
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 1k views
As the train, advise and assist missions continue in Afghanistan, the Afghan Air Force is taking the lead from Coalition in supporting ground troops through air power. Maintenance air advisors from Train, Advise, Assist Command-Air (TAAC-Air), 440th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, are working side-by-side with their AAF counterparts to develop a professional, capable and sustainable air force. At the beginning of 2014, the AAF received C-130H models in which currently four crews are trained and in full mission capable status. “Providing a platform like the C-130H to the AAF increases their capacity for airlift, casualty evacuation, and troop transport,” said …
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 978 views
More than a year since news broke that Air Force Special Operations Command planned to install and test lasers on its fabulously lethal AC-130 Gunships, the plan now is to get its top unfunded requirement tested within a year. Lt Gen Brad Webb, head of AFSOC, told me that was now the plan. General Atomics and other companies have been spending their own research and development (IRAD) money on the capability, as we reported in late 2015. More than a year since news broke that Air Force Special Operations Command planned to install and test lasers on its fabulously lethal AC-130 Gunships, the plan now is to get its top unfunded requirement tested within a …
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 1.2k views
As promised by the Air Force Special Operations Command vice commander, Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex C-130 sustainment workers were treated to a Feb. 9 tour inside an AC-130W gunship fully loaded with the latest modifications. Maj. Gen. Eugene Haase, AFSOC vice commander, and his crew brought the AC-130W from Hurlburt Field, Fla., to the Robins flight line to keep a vow he made during a similar visit in 2016. “I promised if you guys continued your magic that we would come back with one of our ‘Whiskeys’,” Haase said. “I would tell you that you have, and it’s just been a huge success story up here for us. I mean, you’ve set new standards.” …
Last reply by casey, -
This is the first photo we have seen showing U.S. Forest Service Air Tanker 118 with its latest paint job. The USFS plan is to have two of the HC-130H’s at McClellan Air Field at Sacramento (the other is T-116) while the additional five are going through heavy maintenance and retardant tank installation. One is to be actively used as an air tanker while the second is for training, or filling in while the other is down for routine maintenance This is the first photo we have seen showing U.S. Forest Service Air Tanker 118 with its latest paint job. The USFS plan is to have two of the HC-130H’s at McClellan Air Field at Sacramento (the other is T-116) while the a…
Last reply by casey, -
- 2 replies
- 2.2k views
Six years after Congress pulled the plug on a sweeping overhaul and modernization of the C-130H workhorse airlifter, President Trump on Tuesday signed into law a $700 billion defense bill that earmarks $200 million to restart avionics modernization upgrade and a 2.4 percent pay increase for airmen at Little Rock Air Force Base and throughout the military. The decision to upgrade the planes dates back to at least 2005 and has been plagued with cost overruns and bidding irregularities. Lockheed manufactures the planes, but in the past, Boeing developed and manufactured the AMP kits. Six years after Congress pulled the plug on a sweeping overhaul and moderni…
Last reply by AMPTestFE, -
- 0 replies
- 997 views
Parts of South America have been underwater for weeks as heavy and torrential downpours have washed away city streets, buildings and, in some cases, entire villages in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. At the request of the Peruvian government, the US Air Force on April 4 dispatched two C-130Js from Little Rock AFB in Arkansas. For the past week, Capt. Patrick Steppe, instructor pilot with the 61st Airlift Squadron, and his crew have been up and down in the Hercules, moving hundreds of thousands of pounds of equipment and food to stranded or displaced families. Parts of South America have been underwater for weeks as heavy and torrential downpours have w…
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 1.1k views
The Air Force Reserve’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron is tasked to fly two tropical systems in the Gulf of Mexico today, one east of the Lesser Antilles and another south of the Yucatan. The Hurricane Hunters deployed to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, over the weekend, and are scheduled to fly their first low level investigation mission today. Another crew will fly a LLI mission out of Keesler Air Force Base today into the system south of the Yucatan. The Air Force Reserve’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron is tasked to fly two tropical systems in the Gulf of Mexico today, one east of the Lesser Antilles and another south of the Yucatan. The H…
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 1.5k views
The U.S. Air Force plans to declare its newest gunship, the AC-130J Ghostrider, ready for combat — or initial operating capability (IOC) in acquisition parlance — this month, but the aircraft won’t actually deploy to a war zone for a couple more years, a general said. “We are declaring IOC, Initial Operating Capability, this month on the AC-J,” Lt. Gen. Marshall “Brad” Webb, head of Air Force Special Operations Command, said Tuesday during a briefing with reporters at the Air Force Association’s annual conference outside Washington, D.C The U.S. Air Force plans to declare its newest gunship, the AC-130J Ghostrider, ready for combat — or initial operating …
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 1.1k views
Air National Guardsmen assigned to the 386th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron here are undergoing a transition during their deployment here. These Airmen deployed from the 103rd and 145th Airlift Wings, from Connecticut and North Carolina respectively, have come together to maintain the C-130H Hercules cargo aircraft. The desert assignment is Connecticut’s first time being deployed with the airframe while for North Carolina, it is last time it will deploy to maintain the Hercules. SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Air National Guardsmen assigned to the 386th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron here are undergoing a transition during their deployment h…
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 1.1k views
Airmen from the Alaska Air National Guard accepted the first HC-130J Combat King II assigned to an U.S. Air National Guard unit at the Lockheed Martin facility. This HC-130J will be operated by the 211th Rescue Squadron (RQS), 176th Wing stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. The 211th RQS previously operated legacy HC-130P aircraft to support personnel recovery missions in Alaska and the Pacific Theater. These aircraft also act as aerial refuelers, providing support to the HH-60 Pave Hawk search-and-rescue helicopters that are also assigned to the 176th Wing. This is the first of four HC-130Js that will be delivered to the Alaska Guard. …
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 979 views
An aircrew from the 180th Airlift Squadron returned home Sept. 1, 2017 from providing airlift support in Texas in response to relief efforts from Hurricane Harvey. Part of their mission included transporting six pallets of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supplies including blankets and Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs). They transported some 36,000 lbs of cargo, according to Maj. Nick Kahler, who was the navigator for this particular crew. An aircrew from the 180th Airlift Squadron returned home Sept. 1, 2017 from providing airlift support in Texas in response to relief efforts from Hurricane Harvey. Part of their mission included transporting six pal…
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 980 views
Chemical tanks, conveyer belts and intricate machines line the walls of the 19th Maintenance Squadron nondestructive inspections shop. The lights are turned off as one ultraviolet light shines a new spectrum of colors to an NDI technician. Shades of purple, blue and neon-green light up the dark as the Airman searches for what the naked eye can’t see. Just as a special investigator uses black lights searching for clues, NDI Airmen use them to identify potential cracks in a variety of aircraft parts. “We specialize in preventative maintenance,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Derik Shannon, 19th MXS NDI craftsman. “We use noninvasive ways to inspec…
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 876 views
On the bright, chilly morning of March 5, a small crowd of onlookers and well-wishers listened to the sound of the Alaska Air National Guard's C-130H Hercules turboprops recede into the distance for the last time. The wing's divesture of the last of the 144th Airlift Squadron's C-130s marks a sea change for the organization, one of the nation's largest and busiest Air Guard wings. Since 1957, its tactical airlift aircraft - first C-47 Skytrains and later C-123 Providers -- have been at the heart of the its varied missions. The first C-130s, "E" models, arrived in 1976, followed seven years later by the updated "H" models. For more than four decades, these blunt-nosed t…
Last reply by casey, -
- 2 replies
- 1.3k views
The Indian Air Force is definitely one of a kind in the world. What makes it so unique is the varied mix of aircraft its inventory comprises of, which makes it the most diverse force in the sky. Its family members include the Russian Migs, Sukhois, the brilliant Mirage 2000s and Jaguars, and the indigenous Tejas. However, aging machinery, crashes and a painfully slow procurement process has been causing a lot of frost to accumulate on its wings lately. Back in February 2011, six C-130J tactical airlifters were procured from the United States, of which the IAF had earlier lost one during “a tactical low-level training sortie” after it crashed near Gwalior in March 2014, ki…
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 1.1k views
President Mauricio Macri visited the El Palomar Air Base, to inspect the first Hercules C-130 aircraft to undergo a modernization process entirely in the country. During his tour of the base, Macri spoke with Air Force aviators who operate these aircraft in humanitarian missions worldwide. The president was shown the details of the remodeling, escorted by the Defense Minister Julio Martínez and Air Force Chief-of-Staff Brigadier General Enrique Amrein among other high ranking military personnel. President Mauricio Macri visited the El Palomar Air Base, to inspect the first Hercules C-130 aircraft to undergo a modernization process entirely in the country…
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 1k views
U.S. Special Operations Command selected BAE Systems to provide electronic warfare systems for its AC/MC-130J aircraft Wednesday, per a company announcement. Under contract with the U.S. Special Operations Command, or SOCOM, BAE Systems designed, demonstrated and will now provide their Radio Frequency Countermeasure, or RFCM, system, which is to be used by both the U.S. Air Force’s AC-130J Ghostrider and MC-130J Commando II aircraft. U.S. Special Operations Command selected BAE Systems to provide electronic warfare systems for its AC/MC-130J aircraft Wednesday, per a company announcement. Under contract with the U.S. Special Operations Command, or SOCOM, …
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 1.1k views
Bangladesh has entered into a Government-to-government deal with the United Kingdom to purchase two C-130J C5 tactical transport aircraft to boost transport capabilities of its air force. Bangladesh has entered into a Government-to-government deal with the United Kingdom to purchase two C-130J C5 tactical transport aircraft to boost transport capabilities of its air force. Financed under the FY 2017-2018 defense budget, Bangladesh will become the ninth operator of the C-130J C5 in Asia, bdmilitary.com reported Thursday. However, the details are not known yet. Dhaka currently has four Lockheed C-130E Hercules aircraft and two Let L-410 Turbolet …
Last reply by casey, -
- 2 replies
- 1.3k views
Belgium has temporarily withdrawn from service its 11 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transport aircraft due to safety concerns, national media reported on 9 June. The C-130H-variant aircraft operated by the Belgian Air Component (BAC) will remain grounded for two weeks while checks are carried out following repeated "abnormal functioning of flight controls", the Belga news agency quoted a military spokesperson as saying. Belgium has temporarily withdrawn from service its 11 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transport aircraft due to safety concerns, national media reported on 9 June. The C-130H-variant aircraft operated by the Belgian Air Component (BAC…
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 1.8k views
The 908th Airlift Wing transferred the heritage of aircraft 85-0042 c/n 5089 known as Roll Tide to aircraft number 89-1188 c/n 5197 Jan 20. The transfer was completed by the University of Alabama mascot, Big Al, and Col. Don Richey commander of the 908th Operations Group The transfer marks the departure and retirement of aircraft 42 after having flown more than 12,000 hours in the 31 years since it arrived at Maxwell. It has deployed in support of most/all of the named contingencies in the Middle East and Africa since then. It has also supported humanitarian and relief operations, following hurricanes and floods at home and abroad. The 908th Airlift Wing…
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 3k views
Members of the Brazilian air force are returning to the site of an Antarctic crash from more than two years ago to dismantle the remains of their Hercules C-130. The plane's engines and lubricants in the aircraft had already been removed to ensure they did not leak and cause any environmental impact to Antarctica - a condition of Brazil being a signatory to the Madrid Protocol. A Brazilian Air Force pilot crashed the rescue plane while landing at Teniente R Marsh Airport, Antarctica's northernmost airfield on King George Island, on 27 November 2014. Members of the Brazilian air force are returning to the site of an Antarctic cr…
Last reply by casey, -
- 24 replies
- 6.8k views
4 people killed after Military plane crashes in Sunflower County The FAA confirms a Military Plane has crashed at the Sunflower and Leflore county line. The crash was reported Monday Evening on Moorehead and Itta Bena Roads. 4 people killed after Military plane crashes in Sunflower County The FAA confirms a Military Plane has crashed at the Sunflower and Leflore county line. The crash was reported Monday Evening on Moorehead and Itta Bena Roads. Several fire departments responded to the aircraft down in a field and burning. The plane could be seen burning and producing large clouds of black smoke from Highway 82. Inv…
Last reply by quietleader, -
- 0 replies
- 969 views
Throughout the Air Force, Airmen depend on each other to ensure the mission is completed. Just as pilots depend on an array of career field specialists to guarantee an aircraft is mission-ready, weapons undergraduate pilots in the C-130 Weapons Instructor Course depend on loadmasters to help understand what goes on in the back of the aircraft. The 29th Weapons Squadron at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, is home to the C-130 WIC. Only the top tier of instructor pilots and instructor navigators are selected to attend the course. Weapons officer cadre train weapons undergraduate pilots, or WUGS, to become tactical experts and leaders in the art of battle-space do…
Last reply by casey, -
- 0 replies
- 1k views
This flight allowed the crew to familiarize themselves with the newest C-130 model. The pilots completed approach, landing and en route procedures training; while also familiarizing themselves with the airspace. The loadmasters received hands-on training inside of the cockpit and became proficient with their new responsibilities of working as a three man crew on the J-model. This flight allowed the crew to familiarize themselves with the newest C-130 model. The pilots completed approach, landing and en route procedures training; while also familiarizing themselves with the airspace. The loadmasters received hands-on training inside of the cockpit and became pro…
Last reply by casey,