No, I "'bout" time, but my Iphone thought otherwise. It's smarter than me.
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Return of Turboprops to CAS role?
- Thread starter aircav06
- Start date
No, I "'bout" time, but my Iphone thought otherwise. It's smarter than me.
Super-T Showin off recently in NM
Uh Oh....your move Beechcraft.
Uh Oh....your move Beechcraft.
Don't know if the answer can be provided in an open forum, but: I was driving by NASO not too long ago and saw a couple of haze-gray OV-10's on the line. I was surprised enough to stop and double-take. They were unmistakably Broncs...anyone know the story?
Link in PDF form Is it possible that you saw one of these Fester?
Good article in this month's Marine Corps Gazette on bringing back OV-10Xs to create a FW light attack role and provide slots for the NFOs and pilots displaced by the JSF. I think skid guys should get a crack at transitioning if this ever comes to reality, but I know we won't.
The Department of State contracted with DynCorp in the past to fly counter-drug spraying missions with using OV-10s and I think they still are doing it but not sure, the ones I saw were painted black though. Possibly another contractor doing some support for the military?
I don't think that has made it past the proposal stage yet.
FlyinRock
Registered User
They were being flown by EAST Inc and State Dept Airwing was painted on the side. Same logo was on the Thrush that I flew for them back in the mid 90's. Not sure if they are still being used or not. The pilots I talked to enjoyed flying them in spray ops at least in central america.
On a related note, I just got home from the Memorial service for Leland Snow who designed the Air Tractor 802 that has been touted as a possible for CAS work. He died at 80 while out jogging to beat his best personal time. Happened last sunday in Wichita Falls, TX. He was a helluva guy and I enjoyed knowing him for over 30 years.
RIP Leland
On a related note, I just got home from the Memorial service for Leland Snow who designed the Air Tractor 802 that has been touted as a possible for CAS work. He died at 80 while out jogging to beat his best personal time. Happened last sunday in Wichita Falls, TX. He was a helluva guy and I enjoyed knowing him for over 30 years.
RIP Leland
Agree.
Anyone else think that video of the Tucano taking off from dirt was awesome?
I agree, FWIW. The Super Tucano is easily the best platform for an S/E turboprop CAS a/c. The USAF, USMC & even the Army could buy several hundred for the COIN role in the Mideast & elsewhere and save a bag of $$ over what we spend to send F-16s, F-18s, et al on the same mission.
Some DOS Air Wing Broncos used for drug spraying (all had removable 400 gallon tanks in fuselage) were midnight blue that would appear black from a distance. Newer models that went through SLEP were haze gray overall. 2 spotted at Oceana were D models operated by DOS Airwing before they were summarily retired in favor of Air Tractors. 13 venerable Bronos were then parked nose to butt in a warehouse in Hagerstown pending disposition in 07-08 timeframe. Calfire eventually took several and others went here and there. The ones you saw were best of lot and transferred to NASA Langley that had 2 older A models. Anything else is pure speculation.
Only problem I see with the AT-6 is how little payload it could take and how little protection it would offer the pilot in a CAS role. The thing is a sports car, and has plenty of power, but strap ordnance to the wings, ACE gear on the tail, a machine gun in the nose, and you're talking a different story.. all that power excess is GONE instantly. You'd pretty much have to double the plane's weight to get a paylaod thats 1/4 what a jet can carry. Not to mention all the other crap we tend to put on planes that we can't seem to live without, radar, link, satcom, HUD, thermal pods, rover, whatever!
What I'd rather see is the Marines renew the A-10 Warhog contract for about 1/10th the cost of a F-35. and simply make the plane carrier-capable, or short-field takeoff capable. Since the USAF doesn't want any more A-10's, its perfect for our brothers in green. The thing could hold like 10 zuni pods, flechettes, and a dozen or so Marvericks and 250lb JDAMS. Then take that depleted uranium cannon and replace the rounds with incendiary 30mm high-esplosive anti-personnel rounds. The thing would own anything on the ground and be able to loiter for hours. The A-10 can also take a tank round through the wing and pretty much still be OK, it has more armor than a soviet BMP in the cockpit.
Just my ramblings though, who am I to make decisions like the J8.
What I'd rather see is the Marines renew the A-10 Warhog contract for about 1/10th the cost of a F-35. and simply make the plane carrier-capable, or short-field takeoff capable. Since the USAF doesn't want any more A-10's, its perfect for our brothers in green. The thing could hold like 10 zuni pods, flechettes, and a dozen or so Marvericks and 250lb JDAMS. Then take that depleted uranium cannon and replace the rounds with incendiary 30mm high-esplosive anti-personnel rounds. The thing would own anything on the ground and be able to loiter for hours. The A-10 can also take a tank round through the wing and pretty much still be OK, it has more armor than a soviet BMP in the cockpit.
Just my ramblings though, who am I to make decisions like the J8.
You would have to redesign the A-10 from the ground up (complete redesign) to make it capable of operating from a carrier. It would be cost prohibitive.
Besides with the J-35 program running, there is no way you'll be able to get another aircraft procurement program through Congress.
While I agree that the capabilities the A-10 could provide make it an interesting discussion, in actuality, it is not feasible.
The Navy did try to do the procurement on the cheap once and we wound up with a helicopter (MH-60S) that has some significant difficulties operating on more than half of the ships in the fleet.
If you are going to operate an aircraft from ships, it would be best if that aircraft were designed to operate in that environment.