USAF and US Army C-27J Aircraft On the Way

[Deuce130]

I am willing to bet they will go to a joint army / air force guard type entity.

Yeah, with Army Warrant's and AF officers! It's gonna be really funny when the best C-27 pilots are 45 year old CWOs and they're teaching 25 year old Captains how to do it right. Which, of course, the Capt will, until he's a 33 year old major and has to leave the cockpit for the rest of his life.

 

[Oh-ryan]

Coasties are flying them already. Good lord it's an ugly airframe... and that's coming from a P-3 pilot!

 

[LearLove]

I'm wondering what ring the Army had to kiss to get the USAF's blessing on operating tactical fixed wing again (non intel) for the first time since they gave up the Caibou in the 70s. The likely price: allowing the USAF to be the sole executive agent for all unmanned aircraft, the latest skirmish where the Army has refused to give up its piece of the sky. This thing even looks like a Caribou. If the Army fields and operates it successfully, their nose is under the tent and they'll push for more of the tactical support mission - which makes sense and has for a long time. Only service politics (money) has prevented it. The Air Force must want the drone mission badly to give this up.

Ever think the AF will give up the A-10's to the Army?

 

[erj-145mech]

Coasties are flying them already. Good lord it's an ugly airframe... and that's coming from a P-3 pilot!

Nope, they are flying the 295, it was the runner up in the competition, looks similiar though.

 

[Deuce130]

Ever think the AF will give up the A-10's to the Army?

Not in a million years.

 

[Birdstrike]

Not in a million years.

Everything is negotiable or waiverable and comes full circle, usually more than once. If the Army starts flying its own tactical multi-engine fixed wing again, that's step 3. The C-12 was step 1 , Citations/Gulfstreams, step 2. Step by step.

 

[Scrapdog]

Everything is negotiable or waiverable and comes full circle, usually more than once. If the Army starts flying its own tactical multi-engine fixed wing again, that's step 3. The C-12 was step 1 , Citations/Gulfstreams, step 2. Step by step.

Coming from the fighter community and knowing a bunch of A-10 bubba's, I'll second what Deuce said...

Not in a million years.

 

[JungleJett]

If I remember correctly, the A-10 thing was discussed back in the late 80's right before the airplane was going to be decommissioned. They were also working on a version of the F-16 called the A-16 with a bigger gun and some wing mods. They brought some stock (camo green) Vipers to Ft. Hood to work the ranges there with the Apaches in an effort to see how the two could work together in an Army environment.

I think the AF bitched that that type of mission was the responsibility of the AF and not the Army.

Edited: Just found this. I was not sure if my memory was that good anymore. I guess I am doing ok.

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions_article18.html

 

[pkober]

Also remeber they will not be deployable for at least 1-2 years once they are on property. Until the whole unit spins up ans is proficient they wont be going anywhere. Just look at the J model units. Took awhile to get that bird to the sandbox.

Kind of like the C-130J. If I remember we got the first ones in 1998/1999 time frame and they didn't deploy to OEF/OIF until 2004/2005. When I got activated in March 2003 the Brits, I-talians and Aussie were all flying them in Iraq. We embarassed ourselves with the way the "J" was integrated. Hopefully we learned our lesson and will do a better job with the C-27J.

Not a slam on the "J" guys, just a slam on the typical USAF snails pace of aircraft certification. Except the V-22, that gem is just hualing A$$ into combat. :laugh:

 

[Blueliner]

I belive the CG has casa 235's

 

[Oh-ryan]

Everything is negotiable or waiverable and comes full circle, usually more than once. If the Army starts flying its own tactical multi-engine fixed wing again, that's step 3. The C-12 was step 1 , Citations/Gulfstreams, step 2. Step by step.

Don't forget about those sweet, sweet Sherpas!


I know why the Army doesn't fly A-10s, but could someone please explain why it's not part of the USMC inventory? I know it's not carrier certified, but I am pretty sure that the USMC has EA-6B and F-18 squadrons that are land based. They also have land based C-130 squadrons (obviously). Couldn't they also have a land based A-10 squadron, or do all of their tactical (non C-130) planes have to be carrier deployable even if the squadron is land based?

Jarheads, your thoughts?

 

[dtfl]

Kind of like the C-130J. If I remember we got the first ones in 1998/1999 time frame and they didn't deploy to OEF/OIF until 2004/2005. When I got activated in March 2003 the Brits, I-talians and Aussie were all flying them in Iraq. We embarassed ourselves with the way the "J" was integrated. Hopefully we learned our lesson and will do a better job with the C-27J.

Not a slam on the "J" guys, just a slam on the typical USAF snails pace of aircraft certification. Except the V-22, that gem is just hualing A$$ into combat. :laugh:

You can thank AMC active duty types for THAT. They dont trust the plane and the folks they have "running" the program are old E model types that will not let go of the old outdated ways, nor will they realize the J model has capabilities the legacy aircraft don't. If the ANG and AFRES were in charge of getting the J online..it would be getting a PI on every drop (vs most) and it would have been in the desert 5 years ago.

 

[pkober]

You can thank AMC active duty types for THAT. They dont trust the plane and the folks they have "running" the program are old E model types that will not let go of the old outdated ways, nor will they realize the J model has capabilities the legacy aircraft don't. If the ANG and AFRES were in charge of getting the J online..it would be getting a PI on every drop (vs most) and it would have been in the desert 5 years ago.[/quote]

Amen, brother !!!!

 

[MaxTorque]

Deepwater chose the CASA over the 27 on cost per unit. C27 advocates played up the commonality with the C-130J but may have overstated it and weakened their case. The first CASAs already have some significant issues (like the rest of the massive Deepwater procurement). Where the CG can piggyback on a larger deal (like the Blackhawk/Jayhawk) they usually do well. When they strike out on their own - Falcon & Dauphin they learn some expensive lessons. They usually work them out but the corporate memory in acquisition is only short term. They will likely relearn some lessons on the CASA.

MT

 

[flyboyike]

Is it me or does that thing strongly resemble the Aeritalia G222?