Metalbasher

New Federal Spending Bill Includes $8.7M for YARS 12 Mar 2022 YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The $1.5 billion omnibus spending bill passed this week by both houses of Congress contains an allocation of $8.7 million for the Youngstown Air Reserve Station. Within the voluminous legislation is the National Defense Authorization Act, which specifies the YARS allocation. The money will be used to widen a runway to accommodate C-17 aircraft. Also included is funding for four new C-130 J aircraft, which could eventually join four others approved in 2020 to be housed at YARS. In a news release Friday, The Eastern Ohio Military Affairs Commission and the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber praised the bipartisan efforts that resulted in passage of the omnibus bill. “Our entire federal delegation has always understood the economic value YARS provides to the entire Valley,” Regional Chamber President & CEO Guy Coviello said. “The hard work put forth by Sens. Brown and Portman, along with Congressmen Ryan, Johnson and Joyce is greatly acknowledged and appreciated to protect and grow Trumbull County’s largest employer.” Since the inception of EOMAC, the annual economic output at YARS has increased from $89 million to over $150 million, according to the chamber. YARS is home to the 910th Airlift Wing and the Department of Defense’s only large-area, fixed-wing aerial spray unit and has approximately 2,000 employees.

A Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) weapon is prepared for testing at the Eglin Air Force Armament Center on March 11, 2003. Share Article C-130 Drops ‘Mother of All Bombs’ at Eglin March 11, 2003 USAF drops a precision-guided Massive Ordnance Air Blast weapon from a C-130 aircraft in a test at Eglin AFB, Fla. Known as the “Mother of All Bombs,” and weighing 21,500 pounds, MOAB is the largest non-nuclear weapon in existence.

Guard, Reserve would get 20 more C-130J transport aircraft under budget deal By Stephen Losey Mar 9, 01:17 PM WASHINGTON — The proposed budget bill that would fund the U.S. government for the rest of fiscal 2022 provides funding for 20 more C-130J Super Hercules aircraft for the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. Sixteen of the added C-130Js would go to the Air National Guard to modernize two operational wings at an additional cost of $1.8 billion, according to a summary of the omnibus spending bill released by congressional appropriators Wednesday. The remaining four, which would add $429 million to the spending bill, would go to the Reserve. The increased spending for new C-130Js — now totaling nearly $2.4 billion, up from almost $129 million in the administration’s budget request — would be a boon to Lockheed Martin, which makes the mobility aircraft. It also represents the bulk of the increase to the Air Force’s aircraft procurement spending lawmakers added to the administration’s FY22 budget request. The original request called for $15.7 billion in aircraft procurement spending, but the omnibus bill would spend $18.4 billion. The Air National Guard is now in the midst of a multiyear effort to upgrade its mobility fleet and replace its three-decade-old C-130H Hercules planes with modern C-130Js. C-130Js have improved engines with six-blade propellers that provide more thrust and efficiency than their predecessor’s four-blade propeller engines, allowing it to fly farther and faster. They also have digital avionics, upgraded displays, improved navigation and radar systems, more cargo space, a digital autopilot, and the need for a smaller aircrew. In November 2020, the Air Force announced it had selected Air National Guard bases in Kentucky, West Virginia, Texas and Georgia to receive 24 C-130Js to replace their aging “H” models. At the time, Democrats objected to the Air Force’s surprise decision to select a fourth base — Savannah Air National Guard Base in Georgia — shortly before the runoff elections for both Senate seats there. The Air National Guard’s director, Lt. Gen. Mike Loh, said in a roundtable with reporters last year that modernizing the force’s mobility fleet, including upgrading older C-130Hs, is crucial. “In order to keep old aircraft around, it’s costing me a lot of money,” Loh said at the Air Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber conference in Maryland in September 2021. The budget deal also would considerably increase spending on C-130 modifications, from the administration’s original $29 million request to $272 million. This would include another $151 million for upgrading older C-130s with eight-blade propellers, and another added $79 million for engine enhancements. These eight-blade composite propellers were designed to make C-130Hs more efficient as well as to provide more thrust during takeoff and while climbing. In an explanatory statement, appropriators highlighted the importance of maintaining the C-130′s production line in light of diminishing manufacturing sources. The budget agreement includes an additional $26.3 million to pay for the Air Force’s C-130J diminishing manufacturing source requirements in FY22, increasing the administration’s original $113.3 million request. The omnibus budget also would add four MQ-9 drones to the administration’s original request at a price tag of $92 million, as well as eight additional UH-N1 helicopter replacements.

Pretty sure we're down to single digit H1s now and I'm sure their days are numbered before deemed excess and up for grabs by FMS and about 40 H2s left.

The facility is the result of the Public-Private Partnership between the WR-ALC, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center C-130J Hercules Division Program Office of the Air Force, and General Electric Aviation as Dowty Propellers. The activation establishes an organic depot repair and overhaul facility for the C-130J R-391 propeller at Robins. James Mossbarger Jr., WR-ALC Maintenance Activation Planning Team chief, said the new facility will employ 17 Air Force technicians and four Dowty Propeller contractors. "The workload is projected to double by 2026, which would possibly equate to 30-plus jobs for the complex," he said. Mossbarger said the complex will assist the bow wave propeller five-year overhaul requirements. "The WR-ALC will support Dowty in ensuring the C-130J aircraft overhaul mission has available propellers for the fleet," he said. "The location of Robins will assist in reducing some shipping costs and delivery times for propellers coming from Virginia and assist the C-130J aircraft programmed depot maintenance line turn-around times in regards to propellers." Mossbarger said most do not get the opportunity to experience working with a foreign entity like Dowty Propeller of the United Kingdom. "I feel that success in the Dowty UK partnership could be a pathfinder into future workload partnerships that could continue to grow jobs for the WR-ALC," he said. Mossbarger said he is honored to be a part of this Maintenance Activation Planning Team mission. "As a former C-130H legacy propeller technician, industrial engineering technician, and now MAPT chief, this mission has been a part of my life for seven years," he said. "I am proud to be a part of the future propeller work. As a legacy, C-130H aircraft workloads diminish this will ensure propeller workload is available for current and future technicians." C-130J aircraft propeller mechanics with the 572nd Commodities Maintenance Group rotate propeller blades to the reverse position at Robins AFB on February 2, 2022. The C-130J aircraft propeller blades were placed in to the reverse position to be removed from the propeller hub prior to blades’ programmed depot maintenance. [USAF photo by Joseph Mather]

L3Harris Powers on First U.S. Air Force AMP INC 2 Aircraft Key milestone reached on road to delivery of first prototype aircraft. Integrated Mission Systems Feb 28, 2022 L3Harris recently achieved the “power-on” milestone for the first of three prototype aircraft under the U.S. Air Force Avionics Modernization Program Increment 2 (AMP INC 2). Additionally, the AMP INC 2 team completed the Systems Integration Lab (SIL), allowing flight software testing to begin. SIL testing is the first step in validating the customer’s mission system requirements before transitioning into ground and flight testing within the next six months. Modification and testing are occurring in parallel at L3Harris’ Waco, Texas aircraft modification facility, the company’s C-130 Center of Excellence. Once local testing is complete, the aircraft will transition into joint developmental testing at Eglin AFB, with delivery of the three aircraft to follow for operational testing later this year. Low-Rate Initial Production is slated to begin in August 2022 with Full Rate Production beginning in 2023.

U.S. Air Force Trains With Japan’s US-2 Flying Boat As It Looks Forward To Its Own Amphibious Plane While plans for an amphibious MC-130 transport take shape, Cope North 2022 provided an opportunity to see the capabilities of the US-2 firsthand. By Thomas Newdick February 23, 2022 U.S. Air Force / Senior Airman Joseph P. LeVeille Airmen from the U.S. Air Force got up close and personal with the Japanese ShinMaywa US-2 amphibious aircraft during the latest iteration of the Cope North exercise, which took place recently in the Asia-Pacific region. The rare, potentially first-time exposure to one of the few amphibians in military service today comes as the service looks increasingly at an amphibious variant of the C-130 Hercules transport to operate from littoral areas in support of special operations forces. Cope North 2022 took place from February 2nd to the 18th and involved participation from the air forces of Australia, Japan, and the United States, with around 3,500 personnel and 130 aircraft. Participants trained in air combat, large force employment, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) exercises. These scenarios were played out at various locations, including Andersen Air Force Base and Northwest Field on Guam; the Northern Mariana Islands, including Rota, Saipan, and Tinian; Palau; and the Federated States of Micronesia. U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Joseph P. LeVeille A Japanese ShinMaywa US-2 floats in the ocean during Exercise Cope North 22 off the Island of Tinian near Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, February 14, 2022. Cope North 22 also included training related to the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept of operations, which involves providing dispersed operating locations that can be accessed by Air Force and allied combat aircraft during a crisis. Other central tenets of ACE include deploying assets in a less predictable way, leveraging smaller ground support teams, and building up austere bases to minimum operating requirements, before moving on again quickly. In this theater, Pacific Air Forces are increasingly working on ACE as a means to project combat power across the Asia Pacific region, including using a network of distributed operating locations. So far, these have been on land, but the Air Force is now examining how amphibious aircraft would expand the possibilities of this concept further still. Photos released yesterday by the U.S. Department of Defense show a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) US-2 operating in the water near Andersen during the exercise as part of an HA/DR training scenario. JMSDF personnel worked alongside U.S. Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk combat search and rescue helicopters from the 33rd Rescue Squadron, which is stationed at Kadena Air Base in Japan, during this particular portion of Cope North 22. U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Joseph P. LeVeille The US-2 from the 71st Air Rescue Squadron floats in the ocean while U.S. Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawks from the 33rd Rescue Squadron hover nearby. The US-2, a remarkable aircraft that The War Zone has examined in depth in the past, is thoroughly modern, despite its retro looks. It is powered by four Rolls-Royce AE 2100J turboprops that each develop 4,600 horsepower, has a flight deck equipped with digital displays, can cruise at 300 miles per hour, and has a maximum range of almost 3,000 miles. It also boasts short-takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities thanks to a combination of blown flap and an advanced flight control system. U.S. Air Force/Airman 1st Class Yosselin Perla A Royal Australian Air Force aviator in the cockpit of a US-2 during Cope North 22 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, February 10, 2022. The U.S. Air Force at large has been taking an increasing interest in the US-2 in recent months. Last November, an Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) delegation visited Iwakuni Air Base in Japan to learn more about the amphibian and its concept of operations. At that time, JMSDF personnel briefed Maj. Gen. Eric Hill, AFSOC deputy commander, and 353rd Special Operations Wing leadership, in an exchange that was described as “further enforcing the iron-clad partnership between the United States and Japan.” “Flying an airplane that can land on water isn’t a new concept, but few aviators have the experience of amphibious aviation,” Maj. Gen. Hill said at the time. “Gaining lessons from our partners will help us learn what to anticipate as we begin to build our own tactics and techniques moving forward.” U.S. Air Force/1st Lt Rachael Parks Members of Fleet Air Wing 31, Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force stand alongside Gen. Eric Hill, Air Force Special Operations Command deputy commander, and MCAS Iwakuni leadership in front of a US-2, November 9, 2021. Significantly, a U.S. Department of Defense media release at the time stated that the visit to Iwakuni “brings better understanding to AFSOC’s growing interest in amphibious operations,” adding that the US-2 is “designed for personnel rescue and contingency response.” U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Joseph P. LeVeille The US-2 in the ocean during exercise Cope North 22. Of course, those last two missions were also part of Cope North 22, and the Air Force also has an eye on how a future amphibious aircraft could operate in these roles. With that in mind, it’s not a surprise that AFSOC has been taking a close look at the US-2. While the high-level AFSOC visit to Iwakuni was explicitly described as a fact-finding mission, at least in part, that’s not necessarily the case with the Air Force’s interactions with the US-2 in Cope North 22. However, in light of the service’s previous interest, it’s noteworthy that Air Force personnel have now been working with the US-2 in some of the kinds of missions that it envisages for a potential new amphibious aircraft. Last September, AFSOC provided its clearest indication yet that an amphibious aircraft — based on the MC-130J Commando II multi-mission combat transport — is firmly on its list of priorities. An official release at the time included the following: In partnership with the Air Force Research Lab’s Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation (AFRL-SDPE) directorate, AFSOC is developing an MC-130J Commando II Amphibious Capability (MAC) to improve the platform’s support of seaborne special operations. “The development of the MAC capability is the culmination of multiple lines of effort,” said Lt Col Josh Trantham, AFSOC Science, Systems, Technology, & Innovation (SST&I) Deputy Division Chief. “This capability allows the Air Force to increase placement and access for infiltration, exfiltration, and personnel recovery, as well as providing enhanced logistical capabilities for future competition and conflict.” Before this point, there were other signals that AFSOC was finally embracing the idea of an amphibious C-130, a concept that has been explored on several occasions in the past, with a variety of floatplane concepts having been examined. All told, the Asia Pacific region is seeing a definite resurgence in interest in seaplanes right now. While the MC-130J MAC will not be a true flying boat, like the US-2 and the even larger Chinese AG600, it will have an amphibious capability, meaning it will be able to still land on a runway with its floats fitted. As for the AG600, it has recently undergone a major redesign and remains in prototype form for now. Among the missions that are being considered for the C-130 floatplane is combat search and rescue, which presents particular demands in the Asia Pacific theater, where aircrew may need to be plucked from the water at considerable distances — far beyond the reach of the current fleet of HH-60G Pave Hawks, for example. Future CSAR platforms, including amphibious, vertical takeoff and landing, and even stealth capabilities, are something the Air Force is already looking at. With its ability to operate from water, and to cover long distances, the US-2 provides some idea of how the MC-130J MAC might be operated in this role. AFSOC An artist’s concept of the float-equipped MC-130J MAC. This kind of concept fits in very much with the broader Agile Combat Employment concept, in which runway independence is fast becoming a huge issue for the U.S. military. An MC-130J that’s able to operate from water or from airstrips would be one way of helping mitigate the vulnerability of large conventional runways, particularly when held at risk by ballistic missiles. Some are even saying that AFSOC should just buy the US-2, which could make some sense for a more limited mission set. But the MC-130J MAC would be better suited for supporting logistical operations, including moving outsized supplies, vehicles, and fuel to remote outposts. Then again, the MC-130J MAC doesn't actually exist just yet and its actual capabilities are yet to be realized. There is also a sense of urgency around AFSOC’s future amphibious aircraft, with plans announced last September for an operational demonstration of the MAC concept in just 17 months. Should that ambitious timeline be met, the Air Force may not have to wait long before it, too, can field a transport that can operate from water with as much ease as it can on land. In the meantime, Japan’s US-2 provides a fascinating glimpse of what kinds of capabilities this class of aircraft can offer.

Pentagon’s No.1 weapons supplier secures $1,4B contract for C-130J support By Dylan Malyasov Feb 1, 2022 Pentagon’s No.1 weapons supplier Lockheed Martin Corp. was awarded a contract from the U.S. Air Force for the C-130J mission sustainment support effort. The award, announced by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) on 31 January, was worth $1,4 billion and covered contractor logistics support and sustainment of the C-130J aircraft fleet. The work, which is is expected to be complete in January 2032, will be performed in Marietta, Georgia, where Lockheed builds the transport planes. The C-130J is the latest addition to the C-130 fleet and has replaced aging C-130Es and some of the high time C-130Hs. The C-130J incorporates state-of-the-art technology, which reduces manpower requirements, lowers operating and support costs, and provides life-cycle cost savings over earlier C-130 models. The C-130J-30 is a stretch version, adding 15 feet to the fuselage, increasing usable space in the cargo compartment. As noted by the company, the C-130J is faster, goes further and holds more compared to legacy platforms, translating to greater power and enhanced capabilities. The C-130J Super Hercules is the most advanced C-130 ever designed, built, flown and maintained, with a truly integrated digital core.

These are from a few years ago...they literally have not been touched in several years. At one point I think LMCO was towing them around but that didn't last too long...

There is no chance they will fly...complete scrap at this point based on the pix and discussion I've had with people that have been to the acft.

Some C-130s from Montana Air National Guard transferred abroad Posted on January 25, 2022 by Jenn Rowell C-130s from the 120th Airlift Wing of the Montana Air National Guard have been transferred to Chile, Colombia and Romania. The older C-130 models at the 120th had been replaced by newer models beginning in June 2021. Two of the older C-130s went to Chile in April, two went to Colombia in September 2021 and the last one went to Romania in December, according to the 120th. The Air Force used the Foreign Military Sales program to transfer the aircraft with no cost to the Air Guard, according to the 120th. All of the transfers were completed by 120th airmen and the goal of the program is to “strengthen U.S. relationships with those nations and to help improve their own air force capabilities,” according to the 120th. “The transfers were great training, the crews earned flight hours and on arrival helped train foreign nation personnel on the aircraft. Once complete, everyone took commercial flights home.” The aircraft that went to Romania is now apart of their 90th Air Transport Base-the 901 Strategic Transport Squadron, according to Romanian media. Over the summer, Col. Trace Thomas, 120th commander, told City Commissioners that the wing would be receiving the newer aircraft throughout the summer to replace their eight and bring the average of the planes to 1992-1993 manufacture versus the 1970s model they’ve been flying. The 120th had been in the running for the C-130J model aircraft but was not selected and will instead be receiving newer C-130H models, the first of which arrived June 2.

AC-130 Gunships Are Finally Getting A New 105mm Howitzer The AC-130's biggest gun is getting a makeover to make it more capable and reliable than its 1960s-era predecessor. By Joseph Trevithick January 20, 2022 USAF/USN The U.S. Navy recently announced that a team of its engineers had crafted an improved 105mm howitzer for use on the U.S. Air Force's AC-130 gunships. That service's remaining fleets of AC-130W Stinger II and AC-130J Ghostrider aircraft are currently armed with a modified version of a howitzer the U.S. Army first began fielding in the 1960s and that is no longer in operational use anywhere else in the U.S. military. Engineers from the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, also known as NSWCDD or just Dahlgren, located in Virginia, led the project to develop a replacement for the modified M102 howitzers on Air Force AC-130Ws and AC-130Js, according to a press release that Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) put out earlier this month. That team successfully built and delivered at least one prototype of that weapon. The Navy's release refers to this howitzer only as the Gun Aircraft Unit (GAU). GAU is just a standardized prefix in a joint Air Force-Navy designation system that is typically used for guns intended to be mounted on aircraft. For example, the 30mm Bushmaster II cannons that the AC-130W and AC-130J gunships are also armed with are designated under this same system as GAU-23/As. An AC-130J Ghostrider gunship armed with the modified M102 howitzer, seen sticking of left side of the rear of the fuselage, among other weapons. It is unclear whether Dahlgren's howitzer is entirely new or if it incorporates components from the M102. The Navy describes it as "upgraded" and a picture of the prototype, seen at the top of this story and below, does have some general features, including a top-mounted recoil system, in common with the older Army howitzer. "The previous iteration of the AC-130’s 105mm gun system comprised the M102 howitzer and M137A1 recoil mechanism, which are no longer supported by the Army, meaning that an upgrade was necessary due to obsolescence and advancements in technologies since the original recoil mechanism was designed," according to NAVSEA's release. "The upgrades to the 105mm GAU are sweeping, however, the engineers at Dahlgren were careful to ensure that the functionality, accuracy, and usability of the weapon remain largely the same." “This has become a much more reliable system with less maintenance,” Matthew Buckler, the Gun Weapons System lead mechanical engineer on the project at Dahlgren, said in a statement. “If we can get a system that’s more reliable, that’s more repeatable, that works and that allows the warfighter to complete their mission every time – that’s a huge benefit for the warfighter.” The Army's Rock Island Arsenal designed and built the M102 in the early 1960s as a lightweight replacement for the World War II-era M101, with the first examples being delivered to units in 1964. It eventually became the service's standard 105mm howitzer, a role it held until the newer M119 was fielded, starting in 1989. It saw major use during the Vietnam War, as well as with Army units in various conflicts after that, including the American intervention in Grenada in 1983 and the First Gulf War in 1990-1991. The last known employment of M102s in their normal indirect fire role was in 2004, when an Arkansas Army National Guard field artillery battalion deployed with these weapons to support operations in Iraq. Various American allies and partners around the world continue to use these weapons. In 1970, the Air Force had first begun testing a modified version of the M102 as a new weapon for its AC-130 gunship as part of a program called Pave Aegis. The service began integrating those weapons onto a number of AC-130E aircraft the following year, examples of which were subsequently employed in combat in Southeast Asia. The 105mm howitzer became a standard weapon on all subsequent AC-130H and AC-130U aircraft. A shematic showing the layout of various weapons, including the 105mm M102 howitzer, and other systems on AC-130E gunships in the Pave Aegis configuration. The Air Force did not initially plan on integrating the howitzer onto newer AC-130W sand AC-130J aircraft, placing a greater emphasis on precision-guided munitions and reducing the gun armament to a single 30mm GAU-23/A cannon. However, the M102 offers distinct capabilities compared to precision-guided bombs and missiles, particularly in its ability to quickly focus a significant amount of firepower on relatively small target areas and then rapidly shift focus to new ones. The howitzer can also fire different types of ammunition, including air-bursting rounds, giving it added flexibility against different target sets. The GAU-23/A could offer some of this same operational flexibility. However, the destructive power of its 30mm shells is nowhere near that of an 105mm round, which can be used to reduce structures and other obstacles, engage hardened targets such as bunkers, and take out armored vehicles, among other things. In the end, the Air Force changed course and add the M102 to the Stinger IIs and Ghostriders as part of an upgrade package for both types. The video below shows testing of the 105mm howitzer upgrade package for the AC-130W gunship in 2013. The issue, of course, is that the M102 is a dated design that is no longer in production or active use anywhere else in the U.S. military, and it has a steadily dwindling user base abroad. All of this makes sustaining a relatively small number of these guns for use on the Air Force's AC-130s an increasingly costly and complex affair. This is not the first time the Air Force has faced a similar issue with regards to aging weapons on its AC-130s. The AC-130U, all of which have now been retired, was the last platform of any kind in the U.S. military to be armed with the 40mm Bofors cannon. Before those aircraft were finally retired, it became costlier and costlier to source spare parts and ammunition for those guns, leading the Air Force to scour arms dumps abroad for barrels and to refurbish stocks of World War II-era shells. Why the Navy was chosen to develop this improved 105mm gun system for the Air Force's AC-130s is unclear. This could be due in part to the Navy's general experience with very large-caliber guns that are designed to be fired accurately from platforms (ships) potentially moving quite violently in multiple directions at once. Whatever the case, Dahlgren certainly has extensive past experience on programs related to the AC-130, including supporting the past development of the 105mm howitzer package for the AC-130W and AC-130J and a current project to integrate a laser directed weapon on a J model gunship. Dahlgren's engineers have now been called upon again to help ensure the Air Force's remaining AC-130 gunships continue to have the option of firing 105mm shells, in addition to their other diverse armament options, for the foreseeable future.

Friday, 17 Dec 2021, C-130H # 82-0055 - was damn close (less than 2”) but no impact to the bridge/acft. Occurred off I-10 as you get off I-10 West for Route 87, turning left to head to Navarre (bridge is I-10). Acft ended up at Hurlburt Field as scheduled. Photos show C-130 aircraft being transported on I-10 to Hurlburt Field by WEAR staff Friday, December 17th 2021 SANTA ROSA COUNTY, Fla -- A C-130 aircraft was seen being transported Friday afternoon on I-10 in Northwest Florida. Florida Highway Patrol says the moving of the aircraft was permitted and approved over dimension transport. It was heading to Hurlburt Field. According to FHP, the C-130 did have to change lanes to a lower portion of the road/bridge so it would fit under. FHP states the aircraft never became stuck under the Highway 87/I-10 overpass in Milton. FHP says this did impact traffic on the highway.

Sorry, never saw a blade painted grey. I know as long as I can remember the blades were always bare metal and only the tips were painted. If I were to guess maybe # 16473 gloss grey but not sure.

Likely SAE AMS-STD 595 Color No. 13538 yellow

DARPA nabs Gremlin drone in midair for first time By Stephen Losey Friday, Nov 5 An X-61 Gremlin drone and a C-130 conduct a flight test by DARPA at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah on Oct. 29, 2021. During the flight test, DARPA said it successfully recovered a Gremlin in midair for the first time. (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) WASHINGTON — For the first time, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency recovered an unmanned X-61 Gremlin air vehicle to a C-130 in flight, marking a milestone in the U.S. military’s effort to deploy swarms of drones from a mothership. The first successful midair Gremlin recovery took place Oct. 29 at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, DARPA said in a Friday release. The agency noted that this flight test — the fourth deployment of the Gremlins — involved two of the small drones, which successfully carried out all formation flying positions and safety features. While one Gremlin was recovered, the second was destroyed during the flight tests, DARPA said. The Gremlins team then refurbished the recovered drone and flew it again within 24 working hours, the release said. DARPA hopes the program — named for the imaginary, mischievous creatures that World War II-era pilots blamed when their aircraft or equipment malfunctioned — will one day allow the military to launch groups of small sensor-laden drones from bombers, cargo planes or smaller aircraft such as fighters. DARPA envisions the motherships will stay out of range of enemy defenses, but the drone swarms would fly into danger and conduct missions such as intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance or electronic warfare. After the mothership collects the drones and brings them back to base, ground crews would get them ready for another flight within 24 hours, DARPA said in a 2018 report. The agency hopes each drone would have a lifetime of 20 flights. The agency said flying these relatively disposable drones would allow the military to accomplish missions much more cheaply and with less maintenance efforts than relying on nonexpendable systems meant to fly for decades. “This recovery was the culmination of years of hard work and demonstrates the feasibility of safe, reliable airborne recovery,” Lt. Col. Paul Calhoun, the Gremlins program manager in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office, said in the release. “Such a capability will likely prove to be critical for future distributed air operations.” Previous attempts to conduct airborne retrievals of the Gremlins were unsuccessful. In October 2020, DARPA kicked off a series of flight tests in which it tried, but failed, nine times to recover three Gremlins. DARPA said at the time those attempts were each inches away from working, and all Gremlins safely parachuted to the ground. DARPA released a video of the successful recovery that showed the Gremlin latching into a docking bullet that extended from the C-130, folding its wings into its body and then being gripped by a recovery arm that took it into the C-130. This time, four flights were conducted, during which hours of data — including information on air vehicle performance, how contact worked during the airborne retrieval, and the aerodynamic interactions between the Gremlin and the C-130′s recovery bullet — were collected, the release said. “Airborne recovery is complex,” Calhoun said in the release. “We will take some time to enjoy the success of this deployment, then get back to work further analyzing the data and determining next steps for the Gremlins technology.” The Gremlin drones are made by Dynetics, a subsidiary of Leidos. o

Kentucky Air National Guard recognized during the arrival of new C-130 aircrafts By Crystal Sicard Kentucky PUBLISHED 4:30 PM ET Nov. 06, 2021 LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky Air National Guard was selected to receive new Hercules aircrafts. Gov. Andy Beshear and Senator Mitch McConnell celebrated the service members for the high recognition Saturday morning. The Kentucky Air National Guard received the newest version of the Hercules aircraft Saturday morning. Governor Andy Beshear spoke during the event, thanking the guardmembers for their hard work. “Today is the day where you get to accept a little bit of validation. Validation that the federal government and others have seen what we already know – that Kentucky's National Guard is the very best in the entire country,” Beshear said. Kentucky's was selected as one of the four Air Force National Guard branches to receive the newest C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. Beshear said with this new technology, operations will improve and less crew members will be required for flight. “With these new C-130 J super Hercules models, you'll have more payload, more capacity, more efficient engines and modern equipment. In other words, you can do even more good with every single flight that you take,” Beshear said. U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell said the selection process was not easy, but being selected as one of the few states to receive the aircraft, just shows that the Kentucky National Guard has a strong national reputation. “The competition for these planes was intense, intense. Not only did you have to do your part but I had to try to do my part along with the help of my other colleagues in the delegation. And it is extremely gratifying to see this come together,” McConnell said. Once the two planes landed they were greeted with water cannons across the runway. Over the next 11 months, the 123rd Airlift Wing will receive a total of eight new models. The new C-120 J aircrafts will replace eight H-model aircrafts in Louisville. https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2021/11/06/kentucky-air-national-guard-selected-to-receive-new-hercules-aircrafts?fbclid=IwAR3gqf0biVbr9OgaBd3s9CGO_ktROMr8EeOnXENnWLatIou-_AHNa1CIE6E#

C-130J Super Hercules aircraft being prepped for debut at Kentucky Air Guard By Tech. Sgt. Joshua Horton, 123rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs / Published November 05, 2021 PHOTO DETAILS / DOWNLOAD HI-RES 1 of 7 An Airman from the 123rd Maintenance Group observes the freshly-applied tail art of one of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s newly acquired C-130J Super Hercules aircraft at Channel Islands Air Guard Station in Port Hueneme, Calif., Nov. 3, 2021. The aircraft is replacing the C-130H Hercules, which has been in service to the Kentucky Air National Guard since 1992. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Joshua Horton) PRINT | E-MAIL PORT HUENEME, Calif. -- Two new C-130J Super Hercules aircraft are being readied here to join the Kentucky Air National Guard fleet as maintainers apply distinctive artwork to the planes’ exterior paint in preparation for their debut in Louisville this weekend. The aircraft are scheduled to fly into the Kentucky Air Guard Base in Louisville at 9 a.m. Saturday during a welcome ceremony that marks a new era for local aviation, said Col. Ash Groves, commander of the 123rd Maintenance Group. The two transports are among eight that the Kentucky Air Guard’s 123rd Airlift Wing will gain over the next 11 months to replace eight aging C-130 Hercules H-model aircraft, which were built in 1992. The last of the H-models departed Louisville in September to make way for the J-models. Of the six remaining aircraft pending arrival in Kentucky, three will be sourced from existing Air Force inventory, and three are being built especially for the 123rd Airlift Wing by Lockheed Martin in Marietta, Georgia, Groves said. The C-130J Super Hercules is the latest version in the Air Force inventory, with modern instrumentation, more efficient engines and a stretched fuselage for additional payload capacity that supports eight pallet positions in comparison to the H-model’s six. According to Maj. Chris Boescher, a pilot for the 165th Airlift Squadron who will be flying one of the aircraft back to Kentucky, the 123rd Airlift Wing is uniquely suited to make the most out of the aircraft’s updated capabilities. “It’s faster, it carries more cargo and it’s much more fuel efficient,” Boescher said. “It gives us a lot more reach and brings us into the next generation. Our unit is pretty unique with our co-located Contingency Response Group and Special Tactics Squadron in addition to where we are geographically and the facilities that we have. “We’re not only able to bring in the new airplane, but we can utilize it more effectively because we have so many resources around us and so many mission sets.” Another factor that made a strong case for the basing of J-models in Kentucky is the unit’s stellar reputation, said Lt. Col. Randall Hood, deputy commander for the 123rd Operations Group. “There’s no doubt that we’re one of the premier airlift units in the entire Air Force,” Hood said. “The Kentucky Air National Guard is always leading the way. We’re always there to volunteer, to help, and we’re always in the fight. Wherever we go, we have a reputation of excellence, so it carries through the force. They know what we’re capable of.” “To me, it seems like a continuation of the legacy that this unit has built up,” Boelscher said. “I came from active duty, but there are units around that you just know about. Kentucky is one that’s always had a great reputation for getting things done — any theater, any time, any place.” Among the artwork being applied to the aircraft is the Air National Guard emblem, the United States flag, a decal denoting the 123rd Airlift Wing’s 19 Outstanding Unit Awards, and a brand new tail flash — featuring block letters over a blue background with fleurs-di-lis adorning the sides. Prior to the conversion to the J-model, the unit flew the C-130H for almost 30 years. Hood said the switch was bittersweet, but added that the new aircraft will allow the wing to flourish even more. “With the leadership of this wing, the leadership of the group and squadrons, of the chiefs, the Airmen and the officers we have on this base, I have no doubt that we will continue to achieve greater and greater heights in the Kentucky Air National Guard,” he said.

By Rachel S. Cohen Oct 11, 06:51 PM Members of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing take part in the inactivation ceremony of the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, Sept. 28. The 41st EECS operated the EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, conducting electronic warfare for just under 20 years in U.S. Central Command before being officially inactivated. (Master Sgt. Wolfram Stumpf/Air Force) After almost 20 years as a shadowy player in the War on Terror, the Air Force’s squadron of EC-130H electronic warfare planes is leaving its longtime home at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. The 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron formally shut down Sept. 28, marking another milestone in the U.S. military’s withdrawal from war against the Taliban and other insurgent forces in Afghanistan. The unit reverts back to the 41st Electronic Combat Squadron when not deployed. The squadron and its specialized “Compass Call” planes headed to U.S. Central Command from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks. Since then, those EC-130H crews have flown about 14,750 sorties — more than 90,000 hours in the air. RELATED By Stephen Losey Compass Call’s unique mission has made it one of the most in-demand airframes in CENTCOM over the past 20 years. It carries a slew of hardware and software that allow airmen to eavesdrop on nearby combatants, interfere with enemy transmissions across radios and combat vehicles alike, jam radars and, in recent years, send computer code to wireless devices — regardless of whether they are connected to the internet. Those capabilities have come in handy from the start but continue to evolve as the globe grows increasingly dependent on assured connectivity and trustworthy information from those networks. “At the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom, dozens of Iraqi soldiers waited patiently near the al Faw Peninsula for instructions being transmitted from higher headquarters to blow up key oil fields there. The message never came. In its place … was static,” the Air Force said of EC-130H operations in 2004, about two years into Compass Call’s time there. EC-130H crews include about a dozen airmen onboard: two pilots, a navigator, a flight engineer, a mission crew commander and supervisor, a maintenance technician, a signals analyst and multiple cryptologic language analysts. Their tactics have changed alongside frequent upgrades from the secretive “Big Safari” program office. Compass Call has pivoted to jam the signals of booby-trapped enemy quadcopters that are used for surveillance and bombings, and cut off contact between members of groups like the Islamic State. An EC-130H Compass Call takes off from an airfield at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia Jan. 18, 2017. The Compass Call was engaged in operations jamming Da’esh communications in order to confuse and disorient enemy fighters. (Capt. Casey Osborne/Air Force) As the military scrambled to evacuate Afghan and American citizens, and to pull out its own troops from Afghanistan in August, EC-130Hs flew overhead to ensure U.S. troops had the open lines of communication they needed. While the 41st EECS will no longer maintain a permanent presence in the UAE, Compass Call can still deploy on hacking and jamming missions in CENTCOM as needed. The Air Force is also bringing the 41st EECS home in the process of replacing the Compass Call fleet, which outfitted existing C-130 planes with electronic warfare equipment four decades ago. Five of 14 EC-130Hs have retired so far, and only half the fleet will remain as of next fall. They’re making way for the EC-37B, a smaller, modern jet intended to be more cost-efficient, reliable and faster than the current platform. L3Harris, in charge of integrating the new suite of EW systems onto the jet, and Gulfstream, whose G550 airframe will serve as the new Compass Call itself, plan to deliver the first planes to the Air Force in 2023. Looking ahead, squadron members are practicing for conflicts that will keep them on their toes. Instead of relying on the same brick-and-mortar installation as its home base overseas, as it has for decades, the 41st EECS recently tried its hand at a rapid evacuation and relocation drill for the first time. It’s part of the Air Force’s push to make units more flexible in case their installation is targeted, or to quickly leapfrog through a region during back-to-back sorties. Handling missions across multiple geographic regions requires a particularly close relationship between aircrews and maintainers on the ground to keep the aging planes aloft, the Air Force said. “We tried to make it as realistic as possible while ensuring both the flight crews and maintenance crew members were briefed and ready,” C-130H pilot Capt. Brittany Monio said in a December 2020 release. “Planning flights in such a quick manner is a large deviation from normal, but our crews executed very safely and effectively.”

Harvest HAWK + reaches full operational capability Published: Sep 20, 2021 The Tactical Airlift Program Office (PMA-207) KC-130J integrated product team successfully completed full operational capability. The 10th and final aircraft modified to the Harvest Hercules Airborne Weapons Kit (HAWK) Plus (HH+) configuration was delivered to the Fleet Marine Forces, Aug. 26. The aircraft modifications were part of the Marine Corps KC-130J Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) / Weapons Mission Kit program that began in 2015. The program improved the existing Marine Corp KC-130J Harvest HAWK system by integrating the MX-20 electro-optical/infra-red multi-sensor imaging system and adding door mounted missile employment capability. Harvest HAWK+ aircraft modifications began in 2015 with the first aircraft delivering in October 2015. NAVAIR’s aircraft prototype systems division at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. modified the first six aircraft while Sierra Nevada Corporation in Colorado Springs, Co. modified the last four aircraft. Five HH+ aircraft were delivered to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport (VMGR) 352 in Miramar, California and four aircraft to VMGR-252 in Cherry Point, North Carolina. One HH+ aircraft will remain at VX-20 in Patuxent River for Block 8.1 and future HH+ testing. “We are proud to provide the Marine Air-Ground Task Force with an updated intra-theater Close Air Support and Multi-Sensor Imagery Reconnaissance capability,” said Capt. Steve Nassau, PMA-207 program manager. “I couldn’t be prouder of my government and contractor team for delivering this critical weapon system to our warfighters.”

The Spirit of Long Island (#0222, aka Triple Deuce) served in the New York Air National Guard from 1966 until 2019. On 18AUG2021, after several days of moving and assembly, Triple Deuce began a new job as gate guardian for F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base.

Last C-130H rolls down the stretch at Kentucky Air Guard Photo By Staff Sgt. Joshua Horton LOUISVILLE, KY, UNITED STATES 09.24.2021 Story by Lt. Col. Allison Stephens The last C-130H aircraft assigned to the 123rd Airlift Wing departed the Kentucky Air National Guard Base here today for its new home at the Delaware Air Guard. On site to see it off were dozens of maintainers, aircrew and a former crew chief for the aircraft, which is named after Kentucky Derby winner Exterminator. Chief Master Sgt. Patrick Crosier was the plane’s dedicated crew chief for seven years, starting in 2001. He said its departure is bittersweet. “I’m glad it’s going to continue flying at another unit,” he said. “It’s a fine and beautiful aircraft.” Exterminator and seven of its stablemates are being replaced here with eight of the most modern C-130 variants, the J-model Super Hercules. The wing is expected to receive its first J-model in November. Crosier fondly recalls training many maintenance troops on Exterminator — known informally as tail number 1233 — and eventually promoting Master Sgt. Chris Knight to be its next dedicated crew chief. For more than 13 years, Knight worked every maintenance issue associated with the plane. “It’s a dream to get your own aircraft,” Knight said, “and this particular aircraft makes you earn it. You have to put the work in, but when it flies, it flies well.” Throughout 29 years of service with the Kentucky Air Guard, tail number 1233 logged 9,967 hours of flight time all over the world, supporting every kind of mission from humanitarian airlift to combat resupply operations. The plane’s current crew chief, Tech. Sgt. Ben Zeilman, has enjoyed his time working on the H-model, but he’s also looking forward to the future. “It’s exciting to welcome a new airframe and learn how to maintain the J-model,” he said. The Kentucky Air Guard began flying H-model aircraft in 1992. All eight of them are being transferred to the 166th Airlift Wing in New Castle, Delaware.

Teaching the Commando new tricks By Staff Sgt. Brandon Esau, AFSOC Public Affairs / Published September 14, 2021 HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- The C-130J is an incredibly versatile aircraft, and since it’s creation, it’s landed on rough fields, in arctic locations and even an aircraft carrier Yet, it cannot land on water, which covers about 71% of the planet. As national strategic objectives shift focus to littoral regions, Air Force Special Operations Command is advancing new approaches to expand the multi-mission platform's runway independence and expeditionary capacity. In partnership with the Air Force Research Lab's Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation (AFRL-SDPE) directorate, AFSOC is developing an MC-130J Commando II Amphibious Capability (MAC) to improve the platform's support of seaborne special operations. "The development of the MAC capability is the culmination of multiple lines of effort," said Lt Col Josh Trantham, AFSOC Science, Systems, Technology, & Innovation (SST&I) Deputy Division Chief. "This capability allows the Air Force to increase placement and access for infiltration, exfiltration, and personnel recovery, as well as providing enhanced logistical capabilities for future competition and conflict." The development of a removable amphibious float modification for an MC-130J would enable "runway independent" operations, which, according to Trantham, would extend the global reach and survivability of the aircraft and Air Commandos. "Seaborne operations offer nearly unlimited water landing zones providing significant flexibility for the Joint Force," Trantham said. Utilizing the MAC capability may provide unlimited operational access to waterways to distribute forces if land assets are compromised. "MAC is vital to future success because it will allow for the dispersal of assets within a Joint Operations Area," said Maj Kristen Cepak, AFSOC Technology Transition Branch Chief. "This diaspora complicates targeting of the aircraft by our adversaries and limits aircraft vulnerability at fixed locations." A task force of industry partners are closely collaborating with AFSOC and AFRL-SDPE to bring the vision to life. A five-phase rapid prototyping schedule will lead to an operational capability demonstration in only 17 months while de-risking the concept for a future potential MAC program of record that could field MAC for MC-130Js but also potentially field a similar amphibious capability for other C-130 variants with only minor variations. AFSOC and private sector counterparts are currently testing MAC prototypes through digital design, virtual reality modeling (VR), and computer-aided designs (CAD) in a virtual setting known as the Digital Proving Ground (DPG), paving the way for digital simulation, testing, and the use of advanced manufacturing for rapid prototyping and physical prototype testing. According to Trantham and Cepak, the DPG can deliver mission review, aircraft system analysis, design ideation, engineering risk-reduction, virtual reality, concept imagery, feasibility studies, and other deliverables. "Being able to experiment with existing technology to evaluate design tradeoffs and test a new system before ever bending metal is a game-changer," Cepak said. "AFSOC is evolving and experimenting in a smart way to reduce technical risk and deliver capability to the field more rapidly and efficiently than before." According to Trantham, while the MAC project demonstrates rapid capability development for AFSOC, the Air Force and the Total Force will also benefit. "We believe MAC will be able to be used by our sister services, allies, and partners on various C-130 platforms," he said. "Further, expanding the operational use of an amphibious aircraft alongside other innovative tools will provide even more complex dilemmas in future battlespaces for our strategic competitors." View Original Article: Teaching the Commando new tricks > Air Force Special Operations Command > Article Display (af.mil) View full article

Teaching the Commando new tricks By Staff Sgt. Brandon Esau, AFSOC Public Affairs / Published September 14, 2021 HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- The C-130J is an incredibly versatile aircraft, and since it’s creation, it’s landed on rough fields, in arctic locations and even an aircraft carrier Yet, it cannot land on water, which covers about 71% of the planet. As national strategic objectives shift focus to littoral regions, Air Force Special Operations Command is advancing new approaches to expand the multi-mission platform's runway independence and expeditionary capacity. In partnership with the Air Force Research Lab's Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation (AFRL-SDPE) directorate, AFSOC is developing an MC-130J Commando II Amphibious Capability (MAC) to improve the platform's support of seaborne special operations. "The development of the MAC capability is the culmination of multiple lines of effort," said Lt Col Josh Trantham, AFSOC Science, Systems, Technology, & Innovation (SST&I) Deputy Division Chief. "This capability allows the Air Force to increase placement and access for infiltration, exfiltration, and personnel recovery, as well as providing enhanced logistical capabilities for future competition and conflict." The development of a removable amphibious float modification for an MC-130J would enable "runway independent" operations, which, according to Trantham, would extend the global reach and survivability of the aircraft and Air Commandos. "Seaborne operations offer nearly unlimited water landing zones providing significant flexibility for the Joint Force," Trantham said. Utilizing the MAC capability may provide unlimited operational access to waterways to distribute forces if land assets are compromised. "MAC is vital to future success because it will allow for the dispersal of assets within a Joint Operations Area," said Maj Kristen Cepak, AFSOC Technology Transition Branch Chief. "This diaspora complicates targeting of the aircraft by our adversaries and limits aircraft vulnerability at fixed locations." A task force of industry partners are closely collaborating with AFSOC and AFRL-SDPE to bring the vision to life. A five-phase rapid prototyping schedule will lead to an operational capability demonstration in only 17 months while de-risking the concept for a future potential MAC program of record that could field MAC for MC-130Js but also potentially field a similar amphibious capability for other C-130 variants with only minor variations. AFSOC and private sector counterparts are currently testing MAC prototypes through digital design, virtual reality modeling (VR), and computer-aided designs (CAD) in a virtual setting known as the Digital Proving Ground (DPG), paving the way for digital simulation, testing, and the use of advanced manufacturing for rapid prototyping and physical prototype testing. According to Trantham and Cepak, the DPG can deliver mission review, aircraft system analysis, design ideation, engineering risk-reduction, virtual reality, concept imagery, feasibility studies, and other deliverables. "Being able to experiment with existing technology to evaluate design tradeoffs and test a new system before ever bending metal is a game-changer," Cepak said. "AFSOC is evolving and experimenting in a smart way to reduce technical risk and deliver capability to the field more rapidly and efficiently than before." According to Trantham, while the MAC project demonstrates rapid capability development for AFSOC, the Air Force and the Total Force will also benefit. "We believe MAC will be able to be used by our sister services, allies, and partners on various C-130 platforms," he said. "Further, expanding the operational use of an amphibious aircraft alongside other innovative tools will provide even more complex dilemmas in future battlespaces for our strategic competitors." View Original Article: Teaching the Commando new tricks > Air Force Special Operations Command > Article Display (af.mil)