Been hearing rumors that KC-135's when they get to PDM that if corrosion issues are bad ($$$) were going to put them back together for a 1 time to KDMA. Active duty birds are coming to Ktik in bad shape. If more iron is shifted to AFRC and ANG it will better for the mx of the birds.

Altus has 19 jets, maybe flies 4-5 of them routinely for the daily lines. However they'll never give them up due to their PAA with contract MX and the result of losing jobs.

Edited March 29, 201510 yr by Azimuth

I thought you guys aren't going away? Just ask your community about how important you guys are.

If you don't think the KC-10 is important to the nation's AR capability, you haven't been paying attention. Every decision that has and will be made, regardless of the outcome, is political.

If you don't think the KC-10 is important to the nation's AR capability, you haven't been paying attention. Every decision that has and will be made, regardless of the outcome, is political.

Never said it wasn't important. However outside of the Dual Role mission, the the lack of strategic mission and minimal AE support is what's also killing Big Sexy.

Edited March 29, 201510 yr by Azimuth

The only plans are the local plans to close/transfer/convert a squadron at McConnell and slowly move the iron. I imagine a plan similar to Grand Forks will occur once new jets are being delivered regularly.

Been hearing rumors that KC-135's when they get to PDM that if corrosion issues are bad ($$$) were going to put them back together for a 1 time to KDMA. Active duty birds are coming to Ktik in bad shape. If more iron is shifted to AFRC and ANG it will better for the mx of the birds.

Copy that - thanks. Thought there would be a dollar consideration as they rotated to PDM and KC-46 rolled out

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Edited March 29, 201510 yr by Clark Griswold

Never said it wasn't important. However outside of the Dual Role mission, the the lack of strategic mission and minimal AE support is what's also killing Big Sexy.

I don't know dude, these days, a jet could carry 690,000 lbs of cargo and pregnant patients while strafing terrorists and sitting nuke alert, but still be on the chopping block because it's 1.) already built and 2.) only exists in 2 or fewer congressional districts. The cost-effectiveness and operational ability of airframes isn't what drives Congress, to a point.

I don't know dude, these days, a jet could carry 690,000 lbs of cargo and pregnant patients while strafing terrorists and sitting nuke alert, but still be on the chopping block because it's 1.) already built and 2.) only exists in 2 or fewer congressional districts. The cost-effectiveness and operational ability of airframes isn't what drives Congress, to a point.

The MQ/AC/KF-5B Joint Everything Stealth Aircraft. No more pipelines, universally assignable maintainers, pilots never have to deploy, and JTACs could complete their training on an iPhone.

https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/download/15-34_-3-25-15

Senate Committee on Armed Services / Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support / Hearing to Receive Testimony / The Current State of Readiness of U.S. Forces / Review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2016 and the Future Years Defense Program / Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Senator Ayotte: Just wanted to check in on the KC-46As delivery to Pease in 2018. I know there were a couple of testing delays, but are things looking pretty good, on track?

General Spencer: [...] We had some slack built in. Some of -- a lot of that slack's been taken up now. But, as we stand today, we're still on track. We still feel good about the schedule.

https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/download/15-34_-3-25-15

Senate Committee on Armed Services / Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support / Hearing to Receive Testimony / The Current State of Readiness of U.S. Forces / Review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2016 and the Future Years Defense Program / Wednesday, March 25, 2015

deaddebate,

Thanks for posting this. I do not have a lot of faith in the KC-46 timeline. I saw this at McConnell when talk starting of shifting sims, closing squadron(s), tearing down hangars and alert facilities, and contracting out the MILCON for the new jet.

Sure, the jet looks like a cobbled together 767, but that is where the similarities stop. The KC-46 is an entirely different jet, and I am the masses seem somewhat caught off guard with the delays.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/2015/04/13/gao-report-kc46-demonstration/25712589/

The GAO doesn't have any faith in Boeing's claims either.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/2015/04/13/gao-report-kc46-demonstration/25712589/

The GAO doesn't have any faith in Boeing's claims either.

Enlightening--thanks.

https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-15-308

In 2014, Boeing planned 400 hours of flight testing on a test version of the KC-46, but was only able to accomplish 3.5 hours, according to GAO. Now the company, with Air Force approval, has reprogrammed its testing away from a planned 2,400-hour development flight test plan to just demonstrating key refueling capabilities.

"Significantly less testing will now be conducted prior to the decision and only three test months will be on a KC-46, compared to the original plan of 13 months," the GAO wrote.

So 10 months and 2000+ flight hours of planned flight test suddenly aren't needed to make a production decision.

Nothing could possibly go wrong with this plan.

Guy at my base (Boom) who was selected as part of the initial cadre at the -46 FTU was told his class start date was moved from June '15 to Oct '15 due to delays.

Just released on af.mil

https://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/584974/af-announces-kc-46a-candidate-bases.aspx

Westover is an interesting selection.

Samsonite...way off!

The first military version flight happened today.

 

 

The KC46 is on the drop list for 16-01, I'm interested to see how long those kids sit around before MQT

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Gotta admit, she's lookin pretty good...

The KC46 is on the drop list for 16-01, I'm interested to see how long those kids sit around before MQT

Doesn't 16-01 start UPT in like...a week?

Granted I know it will take them 16-19 weeks before they would head to Altus but dang, I just can't see that timeline working out.

Close. 16-01 is two weeks from drop night.

The KC46 is on the drop list for 16-01, I'm interested to see how long those kids sit around before MQT

 

 

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They'll never fly it.

The semi-smart thing to do would be to give them an RT to McConnell with a KC-46 follow-on so they could just stay there.

The KC46 is on the drop list for 16-01, I'm interested to see how long those kids sit around before MQT

 

 

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Actual drop list, or it's on their dream sheets? 

Actual drop list, or it's on their dream sheets? 

you can't fill out a dream sheet without a drop list of available A/C, so....

The actual drop list

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Depends on the base/Flight Commander. Some have you list every option possible (1-~50) for trades and changes from AFPC.