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V-22 Chosen to be the new COD
- Thread starter lowflier03
- Start date
I get the impression it was because of politics on the part of the Marines, demonstrating that they weren't just 'replacing' the CH-46 but enhancing their capabilities doing so. The USCG's use of MH-65 and MH-60 for their upgraded helos is a little anomalous too, I would not be surprised that budget politics was a factor in that too (I know, they do AUF now but is that really a different 'version'?).
I think it was to clarify which helos had been modified for the AUF mission. I'm under the impression that all their Dolphins and 'Hawks are getting the mod eventually, though. The CG has historically not been adept at acquisition politics.
Okay, I get that but the Marines aren't calling their Hercs AKC-130's now and the Navy didn't start calling Tomcats FA or FB-14's after they started hanging bombs off of them. The vast majority of platforms in the US military have been 'multirole' in some fashion or another for a while now but until recently the services have been decent about designating their platforms in accordance with their primary mission. In their zeal to publicize their 'multi-mission' capabilities though some of the services have gone a little overboard in making sure the world, especially Congress, knows that they are 'multi-mission'. So the Jayhawks and Dolphins have a little extra kit to do AUF now, rescue is still their predominant mission.
Again, it is just the airplane geek in me and it really doesn't make too much of a difference at the end of the day but if we have 'rules' for this sort of thing we ought to follow them.
Maybe the exception here, but - CG has been pretty innovative with their MH60 fillet - have seen them get airframes that Navy got rid of and refurbished so that they are upgraded over the 60S capability coming off the line in Stratford. And these airframes will probably outlive the 60S - all at a fraction of the cost.
I heard those are -F airframes that get taken down to the bare airframe and rebuilt. Their cockpit and avionics are awesome, similar to the -M.
HITRON's sole mission is AUF (day and night) and they don't stand SAR duty. SAR is covered by PIE and whatever base is up north (Charleston?...I can't remember). So that might have something to do with it.
Historically, "conventional" CG aircraft could only conduct Day AUF. I haven't heard the latest on if upgrades to the -60T (or whatever it's called now) give them Night AUF capability, but even if it does, they still would need the Night syllabus (which is substantially more robust) AND have access to night qual'ed gunners from the TACLET. Since the TACLET gunners don't fly with HITRON units, and until recently, there was only one other (Navy) unit who would regularly train/maintain the TACLET quals, I wonder how quickly the regular CG units will get Night AUF. Between the activity at AUTEC, PR, and SOCAL, I'd guess the CG is motivated to get more NAUF assets on-scene.
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True story. The result is pretty amazing.
Amazing what can happen when smart people get together. Oh, and NAVAIR isn't in the way.
