US Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

A-10 Thunderbolt debate continues amid potential budget cuts

By: JON HEMMERDINGER WASHINGTON DC 10:56 23 Nov 2013 Source: Flight Global

The debate about the future of the US Air Force’s A-10 Thunderbolts continues, with one of the creators of the aircraft programme insisting the US will lose its entire cadre of experienced close-air-support airmen if the service retires its battle-tested but ageing A-10s.

“I’d be astonished if there were 5,000 people in the armed forces who actually know and are committed to close [air] support,” says Pierre Sprey, who worked for US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara in the late 1960s and helped lead the Air Force’s A-10 concept design team.

“This A-10 divestment… is going to scatter [those personnel] to the four winds, and the last few thousand who know how to bring air power to bear, will be gone.”

Sprey made his comments during a seminar on 22 November hosted by Washington-based nonprofit Project for Government Oversight, a group that seeks to uncover government waste and corruption, according to its website. The seminar was also hosted by that group’s affiliate, the Straus Military Reform Project.

The seminar comes amid the latest scuffle in Washington over the future of the Fairchild Republic A-10, a model that some experts say fills a role that newer aircraft can assume.

Nicknamed “Warthog,” the A-10 was developed in the 1970s to destroy enemy tanks and ground vehicles. A-10’s can spray battlefields with up to 4,200 30mm shells per minute from its nose-mounted, seven-barrel GAU-8 Avenger Gatling gun.

But A-10s are slow compared to attack aircraft and vulnerable to ground-to-air and other threats.

In mid-October the Air Force said it could save $3.5 billion over five years by cutting its fleet of 326 A-10s, according to reports.

Those cuts would prevent the service from slashing funding for newer “multi-role” aircraft like General Dynamics’ F-16 and Lockheed Martin’s F-35.

The F-35, in particular, was designed as a multi-mission aircraft, with different versions being produced for the Air Force, Marines and Navy.

Another speaker at the event, Charles Myers, former director for air warfare at the Department of Defense, says the Air Force would be better served cutting funding for bomber aircraft and other “strategic assets”, of which he says the US has ample supply.

“We have enough strategic capability to take over the whole world,” he says during the seminar.

On 15 November, a group of lawmakers led by New Hampshire Republican senator Kelly Ayotte sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel urging that A-10s not be cut.

“The A-10 provides close air support capability unmatched by any other aircraft in the Air Force's inventory,” says the letter. “It would be unconscionable to further cut an asset like the A-10 for budget reasons.”

Experts have argued that newer aircraft can perform many of the same functions as “single role” A-10s.

Mark Gunzinger, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for forces transformation and resources, told seminar attendees that the US should consider having more “flexible”, multi-mission aircraft, which could mean moving away from “single-mission” aircraft like the A-10.

“I don’t know what the next war is going to be like, but I do know its not going to be like we planned for and it is probably not going to happen in the time and place when we least expect it,” says Gunzinger, who is currently senior fellow at nonprofit Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments,. “We need capabilities that are flexible and can adapt to conditions…and perform a wide-range of missions.”

Click to expand...

US Army’s AH-64Es reach initial operating capability
Print
By: JON HEMMERDINGER WASHINGTON DC 8 minutes ago Source: Flight Global

The US Army’s first unit of Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, which have upgraded engines and new software, has achieved initial operating capability and is ready to be deployed, according to a 27 November Army media release.
The Army says its 1-229th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion achieved the milestone following more than 6,000 flight hours in the model, which is called “Guardian.”

The battalion received its first AH-64E aircraft in January 2013 and completed fielding and individual training in May, says the media release.

Training was conducted at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, the unit conducted high-altitude mountainous environment training in Idaho and participated in Operating Rising Thunder, a live-fire training exercise in Yakima, Washington, conducted with AH-64D’s operated by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, says the release.

The AH-64E has composite rotor blades with an improved airfoil and an upgraded engine and transmission, changes intended to restore speed and lift performance, which degraded in the last two decades as the Army added weight to the original airframe.

In addition, the AH-64E has new software that allows pilots to control unmanned air vehicles and their payloads.

The AH-64E was designated AH-64 Block III before the Army changed the name in 2012.

Boeing told Flightglobal the name change reflects the increased capabilities of the aircraft.

Click to expand...

The SM-6 tactical missile has reached initial operation capability, the Navy announced today, with SM-6s successfully loaded onboard USS Kidd (DDG 100) in San Diego, Calif. The SM-6 is designed to provide naval vessels with extended range protection against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

Click to expand...

​

Janes Defense Weekly said:

Gareth Jennings, Seoul - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
28 October 2013


Despite having been retired from service in 2009, the S-3 Viking could be reborn under Lockheed Martin plans to offer the aircraft to the Korean and US navies. Source: Jamie Hunter

Lockheed Martin is to resurrect the retired S-3 Viking aircraft in order to fulfil requirements for both the Republic Of Korea Navy (RoKN) and the US Navy (USN), a company official told IHS Jane's on 29 October.

Speaking at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (ADEX) in South Korea, Steve Pigott, Director Business Development International Air Mobility Programs, said that the company is looking to refurbish a number of mothballed Vikings, which it will offer to the RoKN as a maritime patrol (MPA) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) platform, and to the USN for carrier on-board delivery (COD) and air-to-air refuelling (AAR).

"There are about 50 to 100 S-3s in the boneyard [at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona] that have a lot of life left in them," he said. "As the [original equipment manufacturer], we would do a nose-to-tail overhaul of them [and] fit them with the required systems."

With regard to the South Korean requirement, the RoKN is looking for approximately 20 aircraft to augment the 16 Lockheed Martin P-3C/CK Orions it is currently upgrading.

"We responded to the Korean government's request for information [RFI] a couple of months ago. Based on this RFI, we believe that the S-3 is the way that Korea wants to go," said Pigott.

Pigott said that the aircraft would be given both an ASW and MPA capability, with sonobuoys and acoustic detection systems. Pigott was unable to say at this time if the aircraft will be equipped with torpedos, and/or a magnetic anomaly detector. While Pigott said that the mission system has yet to be decided, he confirmed that it would developed and installed by Lockheed Martin.

The RoKN is looking to make a decision on its MPA requirement in 2016, with the selected aircraft set to enter service in 2017.

Having retired the type from service in 2009, the USN is being offered the S-3 to fulfill its COD and AAR requirements. "[Lockheed Martin is] actively promoting the S-3 to the US Navy, but we've not received a response yet," Pigott said, adding; "We think the navy might be very interested in the Viking for COD to support the current C-2 [Greyhound], and for aerial refuelling [to support or replace the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in the role]."
Pigott noted that, while the refurbishment of the S-3 for the RoKN's ASW and MPA requirements would be relatively straightforward, taking "months rather than years", it would be a more complicated affair converting the airframes into COD platforms.

Piggot added that, while Lockheed Martin is focusing its S-3 efforts on RoKN and the USN, it is ready to offer the platforms to other customers should they be interested. There are currently four S-3 aircraft being flown as test platforms by NASA's Glenn Research Center in Ohio.

Click to expand...

Air to air refueling and COF for the US Navy. Quite frankly, I believe the COD role would require a pretty large redesign

Click to expand...

VRC-50 US-3A ..Miss Piggy.

Click to expand...

15 January 1980...Passengers wait to go aboard a U.S. Navy Lockheed US-3A Viking (BuNo 157996) aka Miss Piggy on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Midway (CV-41). Note the cargo pod aka Blivet. The aircraft was transporting them to the US Naval Support Activity, Diego Garcia. 157996 later crashed off NAS Cubi Point, Philippines, on 20 January 1989 while in service with VRC-50.

Click to expand...

bd popeye said:

Jeff sez;


Actually VRC-50 years ago stationed in NAS Cubi PT RP had 6 S-3 CODS.. They named them Miss Piggy ..because they were so fat. All the gear and two of the four crew seats were stripped out. Very roomy. They could be configured to carry 6 passengers..I think.. They also sometimes flew with blivets on the wing hard points. Blivets were large external tanks re-configured to carry cargo.

edit..one last thing as far as wings/airfame & engines were concerned the S-3A was very reliable.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

VRC-50 US-3A

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Click to expand...

By LaToya T. Graddy Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft Program Office (PMA-290) Public Affairs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- The Navy's newest maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, the P-8A Poseidon, has achieved initial operational capability (IOC) after the first two P-8A Poseidon's departed for deployment Nov. 29.

This announcement comes weeks after the completion of the Operational Readiness Evaluation of the first deploying P-8A Poseidon squadron and the commander of Patrol and Reconnaissance Group officially declaring the first P-8A squadron, Patrol Squadron 16 (VP-16), "prepared for deployment" Nov. 4.

"This IOC declaration is the culmination of years of careful planning and coordinated effort by the fleet, resource sponsor, acquisition community, and industry," said Capt. Scott Dillon, program manager for Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft Program Office (PMA-290).

By achieving IOC, the Navy can effectively deploy the P-8A for operational missions and continue to successfully transition from the aging P-3C. The Poseidon program is on track for completing the remaining preparations for the first operational deployment of a P-8A squadron.

"With the P-3 to P-8 transition well underway at Jacksonville, VP-16 is executing an Inter-Deployment Readiness Cycle and is on track to be the first P-8 squadron to deploy. VP-5 has completed their P-8 transition, and VP-45 has commenced P-8 transition after returning from deployment this past summer. In addition to leading the fleet transition process, VP-30 is also producing P-8 qualified replacement personnel for direct accession into P-8 qualified squadrons," said Rear Adm. Matt Carter, Commander Patrol and Reconnaissance Group. "There has never been a greater need for a new patrol and reconnaissance aircraft now that the aging P-3 is nearing the end of its life cycle. The P-8 is a true multi-mission platform, which will continue to provide us invaluable capabilities."

"The number of submarines in the world is increasing rapidly. Other countries are either building or purchasing advanced, quiet, and extremely hard to find submarines and we need to be able to match that technology to be able to detect them. The P-8, along with the Triton, will strengthen the maritime mission and provide greater situational awareness," Carter added.

This year was filled with crucial programmatic milestones for the program office, including the successful completion of Initial Operational Test and Evaluation and the on-going delivery of initial production aircraft in support of the first three P-3 to P-8 squadron transitions. To date, 12 low rate initial production aircraft were delivered to the fleet, and the final aircraft in the second production lot is on-track to deliver ahead of schedule and prior to the end of the year.

The program office along with the P-8 Fleet Integration Team in Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, Fla., is continuing to support the transitioning squadrons with training by also using the P-8A Integrated Training Center (ITC). The ITC is meeting training requirements of the Fleet Replacement Squadron, VP-30, and the transitioning squadrons.

"We are pleased the P-8A has been, and continues to be, on cost and on schedule," Dillon said. "The program office is continuing to support the needs of the fleet and deliver an aircraft that recapitalizes and improves upon the capabilities of its predecessor; greatly enhancing the effectiveness of the Navy's forward deployed squadrons."

Click to expand...

Equation said:

Hey Popeye can the P-8A be operated on Air Force bases with a runway as well, and not just Naval and Marine air stations around the globe?

Click to expand...

Jeff Head said:

They could operate off of any US Air Base, or allied Air Base as assigned. They would be tasked to do so, and the necessary support would be made available.

Numerous US bases are Joint Bases, meaning they operate various US military forces from the same base.

Click to expand...