Aviation Specials - July 2018

C-20G Gulfstream

Considered to be a commercial

derivative aircraft, the C-20G is

based on the Gulfstream IV. A

single example is operated by

the H&HS at MCAS Kaneohe

Bay, Hawaii. Originally delivered

to the Marine Aviation Support

Detachment (MASD) at NAF

Washington, Maryland in

December 1994, the C-20G can

accommodate up to 19 passengers,

cargo pallets, or a combination

of passengers and cargo. It is

powered by two Rolls-Royce

Tay Mk611-8 turbofans and has

a range of 4,220nm (7,815km).

Under current plans, the C-20G will

remain in service through 2027 but

will eventually be replaced by a

similar type of aircraft.

Squadron Location Aircraft Command Tail code

H&HS MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii C-20G MCI-P

The Marine Corps operates this C-20G in

Hawaii. USMC/LCpl Matthew Bragg

UC-35C Citation Ultra/Encore

The US Marine Corps operates

a small  eet of Cessna UC-35C/

Ds in the OSA role. These

commercial derivative aircraft

provide transport for high-priority

passenger/cargo missions with

time, place or mission-sensitive

requirements. The Citations are

respectively powered by two Pratt

& Whitney JT15D-5D or PW535A

engines. Both models can

accommodate seven passengers

or 1,200lb (544kg) of cargo and

have a range of around 1,960nm

(3,630km). Because they are

often deployed ‘down-range’ to

deployed locations the Citation’s

aviation survivability equipment

(ASE) includes the AN/AAR-57

common missile warning system

and AN/ALE-47 countermeasures

dispenser system. The  rst of

two UC-35C Citation Ultras was

delivered to the 4th MAW at NAS

JRB New Orleans, Louisiana, in

November 1999.

The marines subsequently

accepted 11 Citation Encores

under the designation UC-35D.

Although one aircraft was written

o in a crash, 10 remain in service

with the H&HS at MCAS Cherry

Point, MCAS Futenma and

Iwakuni, Japan, and VMR Dets

at Joint Base Andrews and NAS

JRB New Orleans. Both variants

have received Block III avionics

modi cations that provided future

air navigation system (FANS)

1/A and automatic dependent

surveillance (ADS) capabilities.

Both Citation models will remain

in service through 2027 but plans

call for the eventual replacement

by a new ‘super mid-size’-class

transport.

Squadron Location Aircraft Command Tail code

H&HS MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina UC-35D MCI-E (5C)

VMR Andrews JB Andrews-NAF Washington, Maryland UC-35D MAG-49 VM

VMR Belle Chasse NAS JRB New Orleans, Louisiana UC-35C MAG-49 EZ

H&HS MCAS Futenma, Japan UC-35D MCI-P (5F)

H&HS MCAS Miramar, California UC-35D MCI-W (5T)

A UC-35D of VMR Andrews. USMC

C-40A Clipper

The US Marine Corps OSA  eet lost

its two McDonnell Douglas C-9Bs

when the aircraft were divested

in April 2017. The Skytrain IIs,

which were based on the DC-9-

32 airliner, were the last two on

the naval inventory and were

operated by marine transport

squadron VMR-1 at MCAS Cherry

Point, North Carolina. VMR-1 had

been an active-duty squadron

until it was transferred to NAS JRB

Fort Worth, Texas, on December

17, 2017 and reassigned to the

Marine Corps Reserve’s 4th Marine

Aircraft Wing. The ‘Roadrunners’ are

awaiting the arrival of two Boeing

C-40A Clippers that are included

in the US Navy’s FY 2019 budget

request. Until the Clippers arrive,

the squadron is operating C-40As

assigned to the US Naval Reserve’s

 eet logistic support squadron

VR-59, which is also based at NAS

JRB Fort Worth. Powered by two

General Electric CFM56-7B24

turbofan engines, the C-40A can

alternately carry 121 passengers

and 36,000lb (16,329kg) of cargo

or a combination of 70 passengers

and 15,000lb (6,804kg) of cargo

over 3,200nm (5,926km).

Squadron Location Aircraft Command Tail code

VMR-1 ‘Roadrunners’

(see note 1)

NAS JRB Fort Worth,

Texas C-40A MAG-41

1 VMR-1 was realigned under the 4th MAW on December 31, 2017.

KC-130J/T Hercules

The USMC’s KC-130  eet is operated

by  ve marine aerial refueler

transport squadrons. A single

squadron is assigned to each of

the active component MAWs

and the two come under the

reserve’s 4th MAW.

The squadrons support the

MAGTF by providing air-to-air

refueling (AAR) for  xed-wing,

tilt-rotor and rotary-wing aircraft,

aviation-delivered ground refueling

(ADGR), combat assault transport,

air delivery (AD), aviation delivered

battle eld illumination (BI), close

air support (CAS) and multi-sensor

imagery reconnaissance (MIR),

under all weather conditions during

expeditionary, joint, or combined

operations from expeditionary

shore-based sites.

The KC-130J can transfer fuel to

two aircraft simultaneously from

its two Cobham/Sargent Fletcher

aerial refueling pods (ARPs). When

operating as a tactical transport

aircraft, it can carry up to 92

ground troops or 64 paratroopers

and equipment. Additionally, the

aircraft can be confi gured to carry

up to 74 litter patients and medical

staff during medical evacuation

(medevac) missions.

The KC-130F fi rst entered service

with the corps in 1961. The KC-130R

and KC-130T that followed used

the airframe of the C-130H model.

The latter, which is powered by

four T56-A-16 turboprop engines,

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS AIR POWER^89

US NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIR POWER YEARBOOK 2018

86-99 Marine Tables C.indd 89 01/06/2018 14:05