What happened to the procurement procedures in the USAF ? They are retiring numerous CH-53C's,they would be perfect for the Space Command.A great Sikorsky helicopter for pay load and armor and armament with plenty of power to spare.I'm a retired Air Force helicopter mechanic/flight engineer having finished my 20 years in 1984.
What Procurment proceedures? They change with the wind direction. That's why HQ AF and particularly AFSPACE keep stepping in their own mess. AFSPACE needs to shed it's self anointed "sacred cow" image and start looking in the boneyard first. I agree that their are birds out there that can do the job for AFSPACE without a new, very expensive contract to boost it's stature. Isn't fairyland at Peterson/Schriever enough bloating?
What happened to the procurement procedures in the USAF ? They are retiring numerous CH-53C's,they would be perfect for the Space Command.A great Sikorsky helicopter for pay load and armor and armament with plenty of power to spare.I'm a retired Air Force helicopter mechanic/flight engineer having finished my 20 years in 1984.
You did retire some time ago so perhaps you've lost track of the "CH-53's" of which you speak. All surviving HH/CH-53's became MH-53J/M "Pavelows" for Spec Ops and they have served the warfighters well over the years, but alas...they are also now nearly 25 years OLDER than when you retired.
These hard working acft are now on average 40 years old and have begun to be retired with the last of them going to taking their aging aircraft and $8000 per flying hour bills with them at the end of this fiscal year.
I'm sorry to see them go, but I wouldn't want to see Space Comm get stuck with 40+ yr old acft that have been rode hard and put away wet after participating in EVERY armed conflict the US has been involved with since Vietnam.
Time for a newer machine to do the job, and hope AFSPC pulls it's head out long enough to get BACK on the CSAR-X train...assuming with the CSAF firing that program still gets off the ground.
Good point about operating costs. I think little bird would help solve their convoy worries. Crew transport can still be supported by the good old twin huey. MGB
