June 27, 201411 yr Link to news story The story is old but the Active Duty side was told that the budget is through the house and it's with the senate now. There will be obvious objections from N.C. but maybe AR and MS do have more pull. Then again, Legacy planes could stay but that doesn't seem to make much sense. The reserve unit that is standing up next month probably lose out the most with the uncertainty. If the budget passes by October, there will be J's here by next summer.
July 4, 201411 yr The Keesler J's are on again off again to every rumored location. Last time I was out there, two days before they were scheduled to shut down and move to Little Rock, but the previous day all plans were shuttered and there was no authorization to move them. Again, that was a month ago so things could have drastically changed again. I don't think anyone will know what will really happen with them until it happens. Literally the day of.
July 4, 201411 yr It makes the most sense for the C-130Js to go to LRF, simply because the AFRC unit there has no mx backshop facilities of their own, and the AD facilities they would have to use are J-specific. They don't have that infrastructure set up yet in NC, and the H-models there are already well-established. The primary reason why AFRC wants to move the Js out of Keesler have more to do with the fact that they've never really been able to get mx fully manned down at BIX, and during storm season, the slick Js suffer in order to keep the weather birds ready to go. Moving them to LRF will give the AD access to a few more tails and result in an overall better utilization of the aircraft. As for Pope, I think they will stay open, but I doubt they'll get the Js. They will likely become a normal AFRC wing. It's interesting that MS is fighting so hard...for one, they are the only multi-squadron MAF wing in AFRC anymore. They are also one of the best funded due to the weather mission, so the BIX unit isn't really in any jeopardy of closing any time soon. The MS delegation just wants to have their cake and eat it too. In reality, since having the 403rd go to a one-squadron (and well-funded) wing, the 913th having Js and associating with the AD, and Pope keeping their H's to keep the Army and NC politicians happy, that cannot be the possible outcome, because it makes too much sense. Instead, we'll keep the Js in MS, where they won't have any utilization with the RegAF and slick mx suffers every hurricane season, and we'll close LRF right after we hired 600+ people and unfurled the flag. That's more along the lines of how our government and DoD operate.
July 8, 201411 yr The problem with that line of thinking is that there is a threat of the Hurricane Hunters having to move and the MS politicians losing that. Remember Keesler is an AETC base, and they don't have any incentive to keep maintaing a runway for one squadron. And NOAA, who funds the vast majority of the 53rd's flying hours, has no desire, or money, to get into that business. They'd be happy with moving the squadron to another suitable, possibly closer, location with an operable runway.
July 8, 201411 yr NOAA has their own aircraft - I worked a Twin Commander of theirs quite a bit recently. Where do they base theirs? Just curious if anybody knows.
July 9, 201411 yr The problem with that line of thinking is that there is a threat of the Hurricane Hunters having to move and the MS politicians losing that. Remember Keesler is an AETC base, and they don't have any incentive to keep maintaing a runway for one squadron. And NOAA, who funds the vast majority of the 53rd's flying hours, has no desire, or money, to get into that business. They'd be happy with moving the squadron to another suitable, possibly closer, location with an operable runway. AETC can think whatever they want. Congress is the one who decides who funds what. As long as MS pull in Congress (and they do), the 53WRS will remain right at BIX. There's really no reason to move a well-established unit like the 403rd. And as others have said, NOAA has it's own aircraft.
July 11, 201411 yr NOAA has their own aircraft but they still fund and control all of the taskings for the 53rd. It's really just an extension of NOAA.
July 11, 201411 yr What's the over/under on when a budget will get passed so everyone at Cheyenne, c springs, keesler, pope and the 50th can figure out how to get on with their lives?
July 11, 201411 yr What's the over/under on when a budget will get passed so everyone at Cheyenne, c springs, keesler, pope and the 50th can figure out how to get on with their lives? Tuesday. Not sure which Tuesday, but definitely Tuesday.
July 11, 201411 yr What is there to get on with? I hope there isn't still anyone on AD flying legacy Hercs under the impression they have a future in this aircraft. Do your job as best you can until your Commander tells you to stop flying the planes, and do everything you can to get the hell out of this community as quick as possible. You certainly shouldn't be waiting on Congress.
July 21, 201411 yr its not a budget thing...anymore. Congress said your force structure will look like so and so. The plan from Air Staff (transferring tails and people) has all been addressed (as it is currently being accomplished). As soon as the CSAF signs the piece of paper on his desk the 53d is no more. The TFI will be official, but they wont have to be fully operational right away (and will most likely be J in a year or so anyway). Cheyenne and COS is a separate plan and being executed accordingly. I feel sorry for the 6 year captains who have probably spent more than half of that in student status now. I really hope boards can decipher who is still progressing.
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