Workhorse transport planes preventing as bombers
US Military Picture
Historically, the Air Drive’s workhorse transport planes, just like the C-17 Globemaster III and MC-130J Commando II, have aided within the strategic and fast supply of gasoline and provides through airdrop. The massive plane also can carry personnel.
These two kinds of planes had 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 does not require any plane modifications,” Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, then-deputy chief of workers of US Air Drive Particular Operations Command, advised reporters on the Air and House Forces Affiliation convention, which Enterprise Insider attended on the time.
“It does 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 stated the cargo aircraft 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 are able to land and function from 3,000-foot highways and austere touchdown zones whereas a bomber can’t,” Lt. Col. Valerie Knight, 352nd Wing mission commander, stated in a launch in November 2022.
The C-17 has a payload capability of almost 171,000 kilos, designed to move armored automobiles, vehicles, and trailers, in addition to airdrop greater than 100 paratroopers and their accompanying tools. This aircraft, given its dimension, can carry thrice as many long-range precision munitions as a B-52 bomber, in accordance with Slife.
