US Herk Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 "The MC-130W was instituted in 2006 to replace combat losses of the MC-130E/H Combat Talon, which was used mainly for snake-eater air drops." Since when did we lose an MC-130Es in recent combat.....didn't think so. The MC-130W was NOT "instituted" (sic) to replace combat losses, rather, they were to be ten more MC-130H. They were to go through AMP/CAAP first, then the older T2 would follow. They added on up to five additional combat loss replacement aircraft - later whittled down to 2 due to politics and, yes, acquisition screw ups. When AFSOC decided to go MC-J, they pulled out of AMP (stop work order issued in Apr 07, except 241 TF radar) and decided to leave the plus-10 in an "interim configuration" and redesignate them MC-130W. As for MC-130E combat losses, does sitting in flyable storage at March count to a "political combat loss" ?? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Davenport Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 As for MC-130E combat losses, does sitting in flyable storage at March count to a "political combat loss" ?? :D Now that you mention it I guess it that would add 4 to the loss list. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackmac_Project Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 The sad part is that the MC-130E's are a victim of being listed as "E"s, where as the AC-130H's don't get the critism of being "E"s. And the MC's have had similar upgrades. Maybe the Reserves should AMP the MC-130E and get it a new life with a new designator. Engine Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdaley Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 Since the 8 SOS was pulled out of the MC130E as associates, AFRC can not man the ten they have. How many real Reservists can you dredge up in South Alabama. You might be able to get airline pilots to fly in, but where can you get everyone else? Did AFSOC really need the W? Was it just we have enough money lets take them from the Guard? If they really needed them why not just take more from the Guard for the AC program? (I know R.Z. I know), or is this just being driven by the we are going to get J's, so what are we going to do with all these W's we stole, make them gunships? Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdaley Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 Just read an interesting DOD statement. "The Army Guard does not need the C-27. The states already have more than enough C-130's, 204 in the Air National Guard, for airlift duties." If the ANG has "more than enough", are they going to give them back? Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc130fe Posted May 19, 2009 Author Share Posted May 19, 2009 If you remember back when the wing-box problems started with the T-IIs and AC-Us there wasn't near enough Helo-AR or SOF mobility platforms (i.e. same time the MC-Ws came into AFSOC). Well since then, we have a new administration, we're working on doubling our ground SOF troops, a sift from OIF back to OEF, and slick C-130s doing more SOF type NVG work, maybe our "US" priorities might have sifted from mobility to ISR. DOD is doing their best to reach the 50 UAS orbits required by CENTCOM, but having something as a Gunship with more CAS/ISR capabilities. Hence.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RZHill Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 Yeh steal the acft from the guard, after they have risen like Phoenix birds from the junk heap. Not the H2's and H3's, but the E's that were nurtured back from oblivion by dedicated folks that do this "BECAUSE they want to". Don't get me wrong , I'm not knocking the young folks in the A/D but it's a fact that the experience is in the Guard. The politicians that say there are more than enough acft in the Guard are the same ones that voted for the porkulous bill to give money to banks to HOARD. Face it they don't know crap. It's getting to the point that there won't be an incentive to stay in the Guard as training days have been cut to the bone. The US has always prided itself in having the best , but it looks like that has come to a quick end. Take the acft from the "RESERVE" that is what Reserve means, RZ HIll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
US Herk Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 Since the 8 SOS was pulled out of the MC130E as associates, AFRC can not man the ten they have. How many real Reservists can you dredge up in South Alabama. You might be able to get airline pilots to fly in, but where can you get everyone else? Sign me up!! Did AFSOC really need the W? Was it just we have enough money lets take them from the Guard? Bob - re-read my post above, they were originally suupposed to be plus-10 MC-130Hs. Politics changed that & left them in the "interim configuration" they're in now & they're now redesignated "W" since they will likely never be turned into MC-H. The big change was when AFSOC changed their mind about the J-model...(ie - decided they wanted them after all). And MC130fe is right, at the time, they figured they needed more drogues, but with MC-J coming online...time will tell. Yeh steal the acft from the guard, after they have risen like Phoenix birds from the junk heap. Not the H2's and H3's, but the E's that were nurtured back from oblivion by dedicated folks that do this "BECAUSE they want to". What Es? The wombats are all H2s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RZHill Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 I speaking about the E's that we reserected that were the only thing that kept some active units going. RZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdaley Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 On one thing I agree with R.Z. If the AD wants to take back aircraft, I think they should get them fron AFRC. As we go forward and fewer aircraft are available for the Guard and the Reserve it maybe time to looking into not having any UE operational AFRC units. Probably just Associate units and maybe training units. If the world was on the level I'd just say do away with the ANG and have all the aircraft in AFRC but the Guard is too powerful politically for that. I spent 5 years in the Guard and 10 in the Reserve. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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