The Airplane Thread

[SpeedBuggy]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

Chemtrails!

If they would just spray here for mosquitoes ...............

[Llarry]

In November of 1952 a Douglas F3D-2 of VMF(N)-513 got the first jet night fighter kill of the Korean War.

The F3D was not a sparkling performer, but it had jet performance, a decent radar and a crew of two (pilot and radar operator).

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by SpeedBuggy

If they would just spray here for mosquitoes ...............

We used to have to work the Med Fly Navajos (PA31) for years, throwing sterile medflys out the back. I think they had a guy in the back with tiny scissors cutting the 'nads off the flys before releasing them.

[vreihen16]

Just ran across this interesting article about Japan's submersible aircraft carriers and bombers from WW-II:

https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/ar...raft-carriers/

[vreihen16]

The USA apparently lost a KC-135 Stratotanker over Iraq today in some sort of non-combat incident, and a second KC-135 was apparently damaged but landed safely in that same incident.....

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by Llarry

In November of 1952 a Douglas F3D-2 of VMF(N)-513 got the first jet night fighter kill of the Korean War.

The F3D was not a sparkling performer, but it had jet performance, a decent radar and a crew of two (pilot and radar operator).

Those early jet fighters were a tough transition according to my dad. He flew mainly the F4U Corsair and then they put him in a McDonnell F2H-2 Banshee.
He knew jets were the future, but those early ones didn't have a lot of power.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

Those early jet fighters were a tough transition according to my dad. He flew mainly the F4U Corsair and then they put him in a McDonnell F2H-2 Banshee.
He knew jets were the future, but those early ones didn't have a lot of power.

They had speed but lacked acceleration. The pilots of that era -- like your dad or mine -- would be astounded by a modern high-performance tactical aircraft. Or maybe even by a modern transport or trainer.

In 1963-64, as a Navy Captain, my dad flew A-4s, including the A-4E model with the J52 engine, which is still used as an adversary aircraft, so I suppose he had an inkling of the future.

[Llarry]

One of the forward-based combat units of the U.S. Air Force is the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan. Misawa has had two squadrons (36 aircraft) of F-16Cs for some years. Now the first few of 48 planned F-35As have arrived to replace the F-16s. Misawa is no stranger to the F-35, though, as the Japanese Air Self Defense Force operates F-35As from his Northern Japan location.

The 35th FW's F-16Cs carry tail code "WW" standing for Wild Weasel, as they specialize in the suppression of enemy air defenses. With the arrival of the F-35As this may no longer be the case. I haven't seen one of the new F-35As painted up yet.

[Artemis]

Does anyone have information about what has happened to our forum member Dang3r ?

He's MIA since quite some time now and rumored to have perished.

He used to post also in this thread and his avatar pictured a German Panavia Tornado (TTTE event at the Royal International Air Tattoo in 2015).

His 'Custom User Title' was changed to "Deceased".

May D. rest in peace.

[M-technik-3]

Misawa was my last AD tour in logistics was there from 93-96 with a 5 month tour of Dhahran in 94. Many a Tornado and EF-111 were there at that point till the bombing in 96 then everything went back to Al's Garage.

[vreihen16]

In case anyone hasn't heard yet, the Blue Angels have been canceling shows recently for security reasons:

https://www.flyingmag.com/blue-angel...e-appearances/


.

[M5Rick]

Relieved that the missing US WSO who ejected from his F-15 in enemy territory has now been rescued .

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Relieved that the missing US WSO who ejected from his F-15 in enemy territory has now been rescued.

Me, too. But apparently at the cost of at least one HH-60 rescue helicopter and a number of injured personnel and aircraft damaged by Iranian fire.

The U.S. military will expend great effort to recover aircrew who go down in enemy territory. I fully support that, but they sometimes do so at great cost in human life.

The media have referred to "Blackhawk" helicopters being used to search for and rescue the USAF aircrewman. The Air Force's HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter is based on the Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk but is a very different beast: Refueling probe, radar, electronic warfare systems for self-protection, armament, armor. If I had to guess, I'd say twice the price or more compared to an Army UH-60M.

[M-technik-3]

Loss or an A-10C, scuttled a C-130 of a J type type variant and two helo's from what YouTubers say but the Col is debriefing and heading to DC most likely.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Me, too. But apparently at the cost of at least one HH-60 rescue helicopter and a number of injured personnel and aircraft damaged by Iranian fire.

The U.S. military will expend great effort to recover aircrew who go down in enemy territory. I fully support that, but they sometimes do so at great cost in human life.

The media have referred to "Blackhawk" helicopters being used to search for and rescue the USAF aircrewman. The Air Force's HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter is based on the Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk but is a very different beast: Refueling probe, radar, electronic warfare systems for self-protection, armament, armor. If I had to guess, I'd say twice the price or more compared to an Army UH-60M.

He had to be rescued whatever the cost to helicopters and other aircraft, one or two helis that got stuck in soft sand had to be destroyed rather than let them fall into enemy hands and the fallout if the Colonel was captured doesn't bear thinking about.

[Llarry]

The first pair of Boeing T-7A jet trainers have arrived at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. Assigned to the 12th Flying Training Wing, these aircraft will be initially used to train instructors -- it will be next year before students start training on the type.

The T-7A will ultimately replace the long-serving Northrop T-38. The aircraft is a joint Boeing-SAAB design. The USAF plans to buy at least 350 and possibly as many as 475 of the aircraft.

The Navy is also on the hunt for a new advanced jet trainer and the T-7A is a major contender. The Navy has decided that student carrier pilots will not be required to qualify in carrier landings before getting their wings -- a major cultural shift. The reason is that modern aircraft have Precision Landing Mode that makes carrier landings easier. The exception will be pilots of E-2D Hawkeye aircraft, who will still qualify while in training. Navy purchases are likely to total 200-plus trainers.

[Llarry]

The most numerous U.S. military aircraft is the Sikorsky H-60 (manufacturer's designation S-70) which is used by all U.S. military services, as well as by several dozen other nations' militaries and some civil users as well.

The H-60 started life as a helicopter to replace the Army's UH-1 "Huey" of the Vietnam War era. The Army was looking for across-the-board improvements: performance in hot and high conditions, reliability, load-carrying capability and crashworthiness.

Sikorsky's design competed with a Boeing-Vertol design -- the YUH-61A -- for the contract and first flew in 1974. Sikorsky was selected as the winner in 1976 and the UH-60A Black Hawk (or Blackhawk) entered Army service in 1979. The Army ordered large numbers of the new aircraft, which soon dominated Army aviation. The A model was produced from 1977 to 1989. Twin General Electric T700 turboshaft engines of 1,500 hp each were developed at the same time and similarly became the gold standard of utility/troop carrier aviation in the Army.

By 1989, the UH-60A was replaced on the production line with the UH-60L model with more power and an improved gearbox. Many A models were modified to L standard as well.

In 2006, a further improved UH-60M began production. The M model featured 2,000 hp engines, improved rotor blades and electronic instrumentation. Many earlier models have been updated to UH-60M standards, but the M remains in production.

While the Blackhawk's primary mission is troop transport, other variants have been developed. Among these are UH-60Q and HH-60M aircraft for medical evacuation. Another is the VH-60M, which is used for VIP transportation in the Washington, D.C, area.

In a category all their own are the special operations variants of the UH-60. The first of these were 30 MH-60As modified with upgraded engines, forward-looking infrared (FLIR), night vision compatible cockpit, armament, aux fuel, etc. These were assigned to the Army's 160th SpecOps Aviation Regiment in the early 1980s.

Ten years later the MH-60As were replaced with MH-60Ls with general improvements. Some had inflight refueling probes for refueling from USAF tankers or Army H-47 Chinooks.

The MH-60L Direct Action Penetrator (DAP) is a heavily armed SpecOps gunship.

The next variant was the MH-60K which is configurable as either an assault helicopter or as a gunship. All include a refueling probe and terrain-following radar.

The most recent variant for the 160th is the MH-60M, which builds on the improvements of the previous models and includes 3,000 hp YT706 engines (developed from the T700). I believe that all previous MH-60s have been updated to this standard.

There is also a stealth variant of the MH-60 that was revealed in the aftermath of the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden in 2011. Details are still not available.

According to the latest data I've been able to find, the Army Blackhawk variants total some active 2,276 H-60s. This does not include foreign military sales, which are plentiful.

[Llarry]

The U.S. Navy looked on the Army's new UH-60 Blackhawk troop carrier with great interest. At the time, the use of helicopters on surface combatants such as cruisers, destroyers and frigates was exploding. Part of the rationale for this was the introduction of the Harpoon ship-launched antiship missile. The Harpoon had a range greater than that of the ship's radars -- the Navy needed a way to attack targets well beyond the horizon. An integral aviation capability allowed such targeting, but space to operate helicopters was limited.

New classes of warships incorporated hangars and clear decks for takeoff and landing. The standard became twin hangars, although often only one helicopter was embarked.

The Navy already had a turbine-powered helicopter in service -- the Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King. But the SH-3 was too large for use on surface warships and was restricted to operation from aircraft carriers.

A helicopter had other valuable attributes: It was an excellent, though short-ranged, antisubmarine warfare (ASW) platform and could be used for logistic support as well.

The initial surface combatant-embarked helo was the very compact Kaman SH-2, originally designed as a utility/rescue aircraft.

The Navy selected the H-60 as an H-2 replacement in 1978, although the new aircraft was too large for some older ships. The initial model was the SH-60B Seahawk, which was equipped with search radar, sonobuoy launchers and electronic warfare systems and could carry lightweight ASW torpedoes. A key modification from the UH-60 was a tailwheel moved forward 13 feet in order to fit on ship's landing decks. Another was powered blade folding, to allow the helo to be hangered.

The ASW helicopter squadrons aboard aircraft carriers were also in need of replacement aircraft, and a further version of the SH-60 was ordered to replace the ageing SH-3s. This SH-60F had a dipping sonar and other ASW sensors.

A further Navy version was a search and rescue version, also used to support SpecOps, the HH-60H. Carrier helicopter squadrons would have 6 or so SH-60Fs and a couple of HH-60Hs.

The above versions of the Seahawk were replaced after 2000 by a new MH-60R that incorporated features of both the SH-60B and the SH-60F. Production of the MH-60R is complete.

At the same time, the Navy replaced H-46 logistics support helicopters with a MH-60S model. The MH-60S can easily be distinguished since it uses the original UH-60 tailwheel. The S model is also used for search and rescue, support to maritime SpecOps, and mine countermeasures. Like the R, production of the S model is complete.

Each carrier air wing has one MH-60R squadron and one MH-60S squadron embarked, although the aircraft are distributed to escorts and replenishment ships. There are also squadrons of each type that deploy detachments in non-carrier scenarios.

Both currently serving Navy versions can be armed with Hellfire missiles and machine guns. There is a total of 450-plus MH-60Rs and Ss in service.

[Llarry]

Two other sea services use the H-60. The Marine Corps uses the smallest number -- just a dozen or so VH-60Ns for presidential transportation. Normally, the larger VH-3D or newer VH-92A is used to transport the president, but the VH-60N has superior high-altitude performance and so is used in some locations.

The Coast Guard has for years operated two types of helicopters: the HH-60J or current MH-60T for longer-range missions and the Eurocopter HH/MH-65 Dauphin. Several years ago, the Coast Guard decided to transition to an all-MH-60 force with a goal of operating 127 aircraft. As an economy measure, they remanufactured used Navy SH-60Bs into USCG rescue aircraft.

[Llarry]

The Air Force faced a problem in the post-Vietnam era. The HH-3E Jolly Green Giant combat search and rescue (CSAR) helicopters that had performed such heroic rescues during the war in Southeast Asia were war-weary and in need of replacement. As had the other services, the USAF looked at the H-60 as a nearly ideal solution.

The first step was the procurement of UH-60As and modifications to suit the rescue mission. More internal fuel and a refueling probe were added. The Army optional door-mounted 7.62mm machine guns were replaced with 12.7mm (.50 cal) machine guns.

Some 98 H-60s were modified for USAF use -- 16 of these were more elaborately equipped and used for SpecOps as MH-60Gs. The other 82 were used for CSAR and designated HH-60G. They entered service in the late 1980s.

By 2004, the USAF began looking for an improved replacement. In 2006, a CSAR version of the H-47 Chinook was selected but cancelled after competitor protests. There were several more attempts at replacing the HH/MH-60G but all were unsuccessful.

The Air Force ultimately deferred the search for a larger aircraft and in 2012 selected a UH-60M-based replacement. In 2019, that helicopter first flew as the HH-60W. The plan is for procurement of 112 HH-60Ws and they are now operational in a number of rescue squadrons. In a nod to the CSAR helicopters of the Vietnam era, the HH-60W are called "Jolly Green II".

As a footnote, the USAF test facility at Groom Lake, Nevada ("Area 51") also has 4 HH-60U "Ghost Hawks" -- based on the UH-60M -- assigned

[Llarry]

To sum up the above info on the H-60, the total number of active helicopters of all services I would estimate at 2,900.

There are many (30-plus) foreign users of the H-60.

One of the more interesting foreign users of the S-70 (since it was purchased ostensibly for civil use) is the People's Republic of China. China bought a number of S-70s because of the excellent performance at high elevations years ago before relations with the U.S. soured.

Predictably, the Chinese have reverse-engineered the S-70 as the Z-20 and improved it as well -- the Z-20 has a five-blade main rotor instead of the four-blade rotor of the H-60 and may have a slightly larger cabin. It appears that it will enter widespread service in the People's Liberation Army.

[Llarry]

The U.S. Department of Defense (War) has released the president's budget for fiscal year 2027. This represents the service's wish list after being reviewed and prioritized by the department's leadership. As had been reported in the press, the budget forwarded to Congress reflects a very large increase in spending. It is up to Congress to authorize expenditures and then appropriate the funds, so this is just the first step in the process.

The version of the budget that I read was 335 pages and I just scanned it for items of interest. Here are some highlights:

Army -- The UH-60M and CH-47 remain in production. The H-60's designated replacement, the MV-75 tilt rotor appears to not have production funding yet.

Navy/Marine Corps: The request for the carrier-capable F-35C is for 37 aircraft -- a major increase. The P-8A patrol aircraft was assessed to be out of production, but 12 are requested. 25 KC-130Js are in the budget request; either a further expansion of Marine transport-refueler squadrons or aircraft for the Navy Reserve.

Air Force: There are plenty of funds requested for the B-21 Raider, but no aircraft numbers are included (classified?) F-15EX procurement appears to be winding down, but 52 F-35As are requested -- a substantial increase.