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North America
Canada
Royal Canadian Air Force (AF)
Next in line for replacement may be the prime-minister’s
ride, the Can Force One, CC-150 15001. Built in 1987 and in
RCAF service since 1992, the aircraft had to make a tech stop
in Rome en route to India for an official visit. The air force
has since announced it is seriously studying the replacement
of the aging Airbus 310. For those who like to see it in its new
white colours, you may have to be quick.
Canada will send an aviation task force to Mali, to support the
UN-led MINUSMA operation. The task force will consist of a
number of CH-146 and CH-147F helicopters. For the Chinook
F-models it will be their first international assignment in
Canadian service, amidst numerous relief efforts in Canada.
United States
United States Air Force (AF)
Regarding last month’s Thunderbolt-II deployment news. The
last three Moody AFB (GA) FT coded A-10Cs, were indeed seen
transiting through Morón Air Base on 6 February 2018. More
than a week later, they arrived at Lajes Air Base on the Azores
on 15 February. Eventually, they departed to the Continental
United States (CONUS) on 23 February. The aircraft involved
were 78-0616, 79-0157 and 80-0223.
On 9 February 2018, Lockheed Martin reached a major
milestone with the delivery of its 400th C-130J Super
Hercules to the USAF. Being the 400th built Super Hercules,
with serial number 16-5835, the airframe is originally a
MC-130J Commando-II that will be assigned to the USAF’s Air
Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). Besides being
the 400th delivered C-130J, 16-5835 has another honour. It
is destined to be the 13th MC-130J to be converted into an
AC-130J Ghostrider gunship in due time. Once converted,
it will be assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing at
Hurlburt Field (FL). Related to new C-130J deliveries to the
USAF comes the fact that Yokota Air Base in Japan received its
eleventh C-130J, with serial number 16-5838, on 22 February
- It is expected that Yokota’s 36th Airlift Squadron, part
of the 374th Airlift Wing, will eventually operate 14 YJ coded
C-130Js.
On 12 February 2018, it became known that the USAF requested
finances for USD 156.3 billion for the Fiscal Year 2019. The
FY19 request would increase a 6.6 percent from the FY18
overall request. By studying the various FY19 documents it
becomes clear that some of the requested budgets, on which
the USAF does not want to elaborate about, are intended to
go to classified projects.
Besides the normal additional request for 48 Lockheed
F-35A Lightning-IIs, fifteen KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft
and the proposed increase to grow the USAF from 55 to 58
combat squadrons over the next five years, there are some
four priorities: Classified systems, Space systems, Nuclear
requirements and command and control, and Military
construction. Looking at the recent period and the multiple
media statements of the USAF, it is expected that large
portions of the requested budget will go to further research
and development of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider
bomber, and possible the conceptual Lockheed Martin
SR-72 hypersonic UAV, other hypersonic black projects and
classified space projects.Also, the USAF wants to update its 74 strong Boeing B-52H
Stratofortress fleet, as requested to the Pentagon in the
FY19 budget. With the oldest aircraft being from FY60,
it is expected that the service life time of the B-52 will be
extended well beyond ninety years. At the same time the
USAF opts to realise an early retirement of the much younger
Rockwell (Boeing) B-1B Lancer and Northrop Grumman B-2A
Spirit bomber fleet.
As the new Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider will start its
service life from the early 2030s, the B-1 and B-2 will become
surplus to USAF’s requirement. It is stated that the USAF is
eyeing a bomber fleet of roughly 175 aircraft for overall use.
Although USAF officials said that number would go up if more
budgets will be released. The USAF had previously planned to
operate the B-1 and B-52 until 2040, and the B-2 until 2058.
The aforementioned statements are laid down in the USAF’s
“Bomber Vector”, previously called the “Bomber Roadmap”,
which has been in progress for a number of years and plans
the introduction phase of the Raider and the phase-out of the
older bombers.
The B-1 and B-2 would be retired early because the USAF
wants to operate a bomber force that is acceptable to carry
out the operational tasks. This means that the new B-21 will
replace the old bomber force and will not act as an additionalThe Dominican army struggles to find a fitting prefix for its serials. After EN, ERD, and no prefix at all, this splinter camo OH-58C onse again
shows ERD-1903 as its serial. (ERD-1903, OH-58C, 1er Escuadrilla de Caballeria Aerea, San Isidro, 11 February 2018, Johnny Rod)