Air Force grounding some older cargo planes that are flying in Iraq

AP ^ | 2/11/2005 | AP Staff

[Pro-Bush]

Air Force grounding some older cargo planes that are flying in Iraq

ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 — The Air Force said Friday it is grounding 30 of its oldest C-130 cargo planes and putting flight restrictions on 60 others after discovering unexpectedly severe wing cracks.

The moves include about a dozen C-130s that have been hauling supplies in Iraq, but that is not expected to have a major impact on the war effort. Gen. John Jumper, the Air Force chief of staff, told a Senate committee Thursday that the planes in Iraq would be replaced by newer ones. Jumper said the grounding of older C-130s is a reflection of the fact that parts of the Air Force's fleet of aircraft are aging to the point where he worries that a catastrophic problem will be discovered suddenly with an entire category of aircraft. ''That would take large chunks of our capability away from us at one time,'' Jumper said. In its 2006 defense spending blueprint sent to Congress on Monday, the administration proposed to end production of the C-130, which entered service in 1954 and has been in continuous production ever since. ''This termination will have no impact on the Air Force's tactical airlift capabilities since there are a large number of C-130s in the current inventory with many years of service life remaining,'' the administration said in a report to Congress justifying its budget proposals. The Army, meanwhile, announced Friday that its 5th Corps, based in Heidelberg, Germany, will return to Iraq in early 2006 as the overall headquarters for the U.S. military contingent there. It will replace the 18th Airborne Corps, which is just now settling in for a one-year tour in Iraq. The 5th Corps was the lead Army headquarters in Iraq when the U.S.-led invasion began in March 2003. The corps commander, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, has come under fire for the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal that happened while he was in charge in Iraq. About 5,000 soldiers will deploy with 5th Corps, including members of the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade, whose commander, Col. Thomas M. Pappas, was held partly responsible for the Abu Ghraib problems in an Army investigation headed by Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba. The Army also said Friday that about 1,600 soldiers from other units based in Germany will deploy to Iraq between April and January. They include soldiers from the 21st Theater Support Command, the 1st Personnel Command, the 5th Signal Command and the 266th Finance Command.

On the Net: Defense Department: http://www.defense.gov

[ProudVet77]

Some of these aircraft are getting very old and have been used up. But the cynical side of me wonders about the C130J project which was being cut.

[Rokke]

This might interest you.

[Pro-Bush]

I agree, we sure have make well use of them. But at least a lot of aircraft, including C-130's are getting freed up from our eventual withdraw from Germany.

[TXnMA]

The Brit Herc that was lost on Iraq's election day crashed because of catastrophic wing failure. Connection?

[drc43]

I thought they just reactivated the C130 program.

[Wiz]

I can hear the uproars from Lockheed Martin to replace the old C-130s with the new C-130Js. :)

[Pro-Bush]

Proudvet77 mention the C-130J program being cut on post #2. Any thoughts ProudVet77?

[USNBandit]

he worries that a catastrophic problem will be discovered suddenly with an entire category of aircraft. ''That would take large chunks of our capability away from us at one time,''

Didn't they already suffer a grounding issue a couple years ago with the C-141 fleet?

[Pro-Bush]

Yuo are right!

This season marks the end of an era for the C-141s, which have supported the operation since the 1960s. They are being taken out of the Air Force inventory and will be replaced next year by C-17s. (1/31/2005)

[Dark Wing]

I told you this was coming.

[ProudVet77]

The C-130 ($81million each) is particularly useful in the war on terror. To cut it would be foolish. It's replacement the C-17($200million each) is not as robust and able to deal with as rugged conditions, it's better suited to making use of a paved airfield after the Rangers take it.
I'd rather see an assembly line kept open for just 8 hours a day and build a few than close all together. Shutting down an assembly line is like an animal becoming extinct. There is no return. If you keep it open, you can always ramp it up in a hurry if needed by going 7x24.
The C-130 is one of those useful type aircraft that will not go out of style for a century. The 707 is still alive and flying as AWACs. As is the B-52. Heck I suspect the C-130 platform could be used to replace the Orion P-3 if we wanted.