1) Collect per diem for being on deployment
2) Not get sea time.
3) Calls 90 day deployments "long cruise"
4) never land on boats
5) has a great microwave
Another jem! I never deployed for less than 6 months, never called ANYTHING "cruise" and as for sea time........I think I am more than covering my share at this time. I am not sure what the deal is, but there seems to be a lot of misconception and bad info going around about a)MPA missions/capabilities, b)MMA design and function so I will try to at least clear up what I can.
As for MPA life...only the EP-3 guys go out on "Det" instead of depolying. Different airframe, different type of ops. The P-3C guys do a variety of missions.....ISR, ASW, ASUW, OM, DM, Strike, etc. None of these missions are going away (if you think ASW is a dead mission.....) and the new aircraft is designed to keep the same mission areas, but improve speed, ceiling, etc. As for those odd depolyments, most recently those were East coast squadrons whose primary deploment area and missions had dwindled with the change in world dynamics. It didn't stay that way for long, the community redid the deployment set-up, the east coast closed most of its deployment sights and the squadrons all set up to deploy to the same three sights. We also gained a surge capability by doing this, further enhancing our capabilities.
As for the MMA, it is a go, it is on pace and it is pretty solid as a replacement to the P-3. I was one of those guys that was not really sold on going away from the turboprop concept, but after they brought the test demo aircraft out and we flew it.....it will do nicely. Flies well at 200' and very responsive and maneauverable....loiter speed almost exactly the same...refuelable to keep onsta time solid. The first 100 are paid for, how many others come is hard to say. The FIT is already up and running at the rag. A couple of things to clear up some confusion on the bird. It IS a 737-800ER, but it is not a stock off the shelf one. The fuselage is a bit longer, (can't remember the exact number but it is around 20ft), to accomodate the buoy launcher. The wings are different, having been thickened and beefed up to be capable of hard points to carry the array of weapons that the P-3 carries. There are a couple of differences internal as well, and the bomb bay design is also unique, but to finish this point, it is based on the 737, it is not a roll off the rack one stamped SWA, one stamped USN aircraft.
I believe that by previous logic in this thread, my current job and stationing has now carrier qualled me, so I plan on getting my weekly night trap tonight. Should be a gas....I think I will go from there to paddles, since I am stationed here AND have watched it on the plat. Sorry...couldn't resist. Anyway, I know this is long, but it is an attempt to combat ignorance. Cheers!
