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The newest Herk?
- Thread starter skybert
- Start date
It's a big deal. I work with a number of Herc dudes and they are pretty positive. AF is leaning into open ocean Pacific and island ops in a big way. Given that the Navy has zero capability to rescue, recover, or do insertion or extraction of people, equipment (think NSW boats), it's a the kind of capability theatre commanders will be looking for.
I'm sure HERC guys are positive. How about Big AF? This leads to lots of support questions and viability. Seaplane Base? Seaplane tenders?
Back to my comment of AF trying to remain relevant.
Um, yes the Navy does have the capability. C-2 CODs were dropping SEALs and RHIBs out of the aircraft for years. USMC MEU/SOC has the capability using Navy Amphibs. The Navy can also deploy Special Forces from any Aircraft Carrier Strike Group via Helo or Osprey. Just because it's not frequently used, doesn't mean the Navy has "zero capability".
For amphibious aircraft.
Jeebus, just buy some US2s already. Skip the welfare for Lockheed.
Fair points - I think the Navy capability challenges aren't technical, but cultural. From what I've heard others explain on these kind of threads, there is a genuine reluctance to invest in the capability via training and equipment for anything thats not grey pointy nose jets. I would use HSC as an example. The AF takes the "special people" insertion and extraction and CSAR super seriously. I think its more of a DNA thing. I'm a nobody with an opinion, but this is what I have observed and deduced.
A Navy seaplane capability going back to the "Black Cats" of the Pacific Campaign would be awesome.
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The navy has plenty of planes in the sea…I don’t think the US needs any more. ??
Side question: When a seaplane is on the water, do they have to follow nautical rules of the road???♂️
I guess my question is what does this solve that airdrop can’t already accomplish?
The extract? I suppose, but I would imagine a plane this large would need fairly calm water, so open ocean would be tough. To get into the littoral a plane this size is hard to be stealthy with.
Either way, I do think it’s a cool idea, just not sure the actual feasibility.
The extract? I suppose, but I would imagine a plane this large would need fairly calm water, so open ocean would be tough. To get into the littoral a plane this size is hard to be stealthy with.
Either way, I do think it’s a cool idea, just not sure the actual feasibility.
Go to an air show and talk to any HSC/HSM aircrew. I’d bet you’d be surprised at what their current training set is and what they consider important.
I’m certain a slow seaplane wouldn’t survive very long against the current maritime threat. So, I don’t think it would be awesome.
What would they bring to the fight that we don’t already have in the US inventory? Yay, they can land on water?
Seaplanes hit their peak in WWII, and haven’t been viable since.
I mean, I personally would like it if the USAF bought a couple of them if only to use them for CSAR.
As of right now there isn’t a whole lot of hope for rescue if we end up getting shot down any significant distance from the boat.
The Us-2 has a fancy system that supports operating in 9 foot seas, which is significant.
I’d bet they do.
DARPA has a seaplane/WIG program kicking off that intends the craft to pretty much be a boat that flies. Very robust structure, no landing gear. Just water. Cue the battle for who owns it, NAVSEA or NAVAIR.
I suppose the one thing I'm lost on is: Where do you need a C-130 in the island campaign that you don't already have a runway in which a C-130 could land?
