Special Operations Want an Amphibious MC-130J
- Thread starter Bacle
- Start date
PsihoKekec
Swashbuckling Accountant
Having Beriev design a wide fuselage version of Be-200 would probably come cheaper. Not going to happen though.
We don't need to, Japan already has a seaplane that has more load capacity than a C-130, the US-2.
However buying those won't put money into US companies, so we won't do it.
Making a Herc into a seaplane is...iffy, but if the airframe and engines can handle it, it's not a horrible idea. The production line is still churning out new airframes regularly, so the lag time would be minimal if an order for these was placed.
Yet we still are using Euro-frigs in the 'Constellation class'; we may build them here, but they are still Euro-frigs.
License-building US-2s would be a very smart idea; more load capacity than the Herc and built as a seaplane from the ground up.
Aircraft we try to keep American
Reinventing the wheel is a waste of time that only puts pork into Lockmarts pockets.
If the US is going to be serious about putting seaplanes back in the inventory, we do not need to wait on multi-year R&D to do it when our ally has a perfectly acceptable offering already in production.
Paying to license-build them in the US seems like a great way to strengthen our ties with Japan and get a proven airframe in short order.
The idea to stick pontoons on Herc's is...a bandaid solution to the lack of seaplanes we may need in the near future.
AFAIK we still have plenty if designs that can still be used and brought back.
Canada has a version we would be more likely to use compared to Japan's
Hey, if they want to restart PBY Catalina production with modern materials, I'd be all for that.
And does the Canadian offering carry more than the US-2?
The Canadair can carry up to 18 paratroopers where the US 2 can carry 20.
So nit much diffeent.
The canadair CL415 only has 2 crew compared to the 11 of the US 2
Hmm, that crew difference...does the CL415 have any sort of active defenses or MPA equipment as standard?
Because the amount of troops it can carry is only one consideration for the new seaplanes.
I know the US-2 was built for MPA and troop deployment, and can come with some of the defensive lasers that Japan is putting on thier transports these days.
The CL 415 has a maritime patrol and even an air force version for the hellenic air force
Ok, so a modified firefighting plane.
Still has nowhere near the load capacity of the US-2, which can carry more than a damn Herc.
Edit: Also doesn't seem like the CL415 has any active defenses like the US-2.
For Spec ops you would want a plane you know can get in and out quickly. It would also depend on mission. You are most likely not going to need a heavy lift craft.Also, The C130 can carry more then the US 2.
You do know most of what SOF uses is lighter and made for stealth more then capacity and the like
Hmm, I was told the US-2 can carry more than the Herc; perhaps they meant the original Herc, not the latest models.
I think spec ops wanted the Herc because they can stick fast boats or mini-subs on it to deploy straight into the water via the ramp.
Can't do that with either the CL415 or US-2.
Makes most sense. Would most likely used by SEAL teams and MARSOC more then the Army teams.
PsihoKekec
Swashbuckling Accountant
They still want wide-bodied transport aircraft with rear ramp, so they can drive in with the boat.
Gotta have that awesome scene! But yeah, makes perfect sense