Workhorse transport planes preventing as bombers
US Military Picture
Historically, the Air Pressure’s workhorse transport planes, just like the C-17 Globemaster III and MC-130J Commando II, have aided within the strategic and speedy supply of gasoline and provides by way of airdrop. The massive plane may also carry personnel.
These two sorts of planes have been chosen for the initiative as a result of turning them into bombers required fewer modifications and coaching.
“The great thing about that functionality is it would not require any plane modifications,” Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, then-deputy chief of workers of US Air Pressure Particular Operations Command, instructed reporters on the Air and Area Forces Affiliation convention, which Enterprise Insider attended on the time.
“It would not require any particular aircrew coaching. It actually simply takes benefit of the traits of that platform.”
The MC-130J can climb 28,000 toes with a 42,000 payload and has a spread of three,000 miles. Slife mentioned the cargo airplane can carry as many long-range weapons as a B-52.
“An MC-130J is the right plane for this functionality as a result of we will land and function from 3,000-foot highways and austere touchdown zones whereas a bomber can not,” Lt. Col. Valerie Knight, 352nd Wing mission commander, mentioned in a launch in November 2022.
The C-17 has a payload capability of practically 171,000 kilos, designed to move armored autos, vans, and trailers, in addition to airdrop greater than 100 paratroopers and their accompanying gear. This airplane, given its dimension, can carry 3 times as many long-range precision munitions as a B-52 bomber, based on Slife.
