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NAVAIR gets their $$$$$$$$$

So it seems like they're estimating the P-3 being replaced by the P-8 in 2013.(Although that year might even be wishful thinking. :D) I think this is fairly good news overall.
 
Phased implementation on the P-8, expect the P-3 to be around until 2020 time frame. Imagine that pain....
 
This might be a stupid question, but I'll risk asking it anyway for the sake of clarity:

The 20 UH-1Y / AH-1Z line item, I assume this is for USMC? If that is the case I have to assume NAVAIR is somewhat responsible for USMC procurement of aircraft? Is this correct? (similar question for the 30 V-22s, although last I heard the Navy is wanting a few of those, so they could be USN birds)
 
Can they maintain all the airframes that long? What exactly do they do to modify them in the way of keeping them flying?

They've been modding the wing spars to extend whatever "life-expectancy" acronym you'd like to attach to it coupled with more and more RO-RO tactical gear. This will help bridge the gap with both airframe and personnel. I'd imagine a tailoring of the mission sub-set as a result until the P-8 capes are worked out and proven in theater. The platform has a great mission (when all the cogs understand each other), with some great bennies for QOL. I've left that world now so my info is dated a year or two...
 
This might be a stupid question, but I'll risk asking it anyway for the sake of clarity:

The 20 UH-1Y / AH-1Z line item, I assume this is for USMC? If that is the case I have to assume NAVAIR is somewhat responsible for USMC procurement of aircraft? Is this correct? (similar question for the 30 V-22s, although last I heard the Navy is wanting a few of those, so they could be USN birds)

1. Yes, NAVAIRSYSCOM is the acquisition arm for all of Naval Aviation, which includes aircraft with Marines painted on the fuselage. However, the funding you see does not go directly to NAVAIR. The Resource Sponsor for Naval Aviaition is OPNAV N88 (a two star) so even though Deputy Commandant, Air is a 3 star, ALL Marine aviation is programmed by N88 (so-called blue dollars in support of green). Note: Even DC Air has a N88 code as does APW staff but you likely won't see them use it. Every platform the Marines care about is staffed within N88 by Marines and Marines serve in the N88 dudget shop looking out for their interests (biggest job for a Marine in OPNAV is N85 where Marines look out for their Expeditionary interests).

2. The V-22 does not presently have funding programmed for a Navy variant.
 
The thing that impressed me the most....

$496 million for three E-2C Hawkeyes
WOW!!! :eek:

Now all you E-2C selectees quit whining....you're quite valuable.
 
what about an E6? just one?... oh well.. just go turn circles with the old one... ;)
 
They've been modding the wing spars to extend whatever "life-expectancy" acronym you'd like to attach to it...

The other method will continue to be airframe-by-airframe flight hour management...which is why pilots are seeing their overall time in the bird decreasing. The wing mods (SSI/ESSI) still only add so many fatigue life hours...and since the aircraft have to last until 2020 (at the earliest) I would anticipate seeing little to no relaxation of the flight hour/FLE/HONA limitations until fairly late in the game.

I would also like to know where that P-3 money is going...IE percentage going to mission systems mods vs wing band-aids. So far Google Fu has turned up little useful information.
 
The thing that impressed me the most....

WOW!!! :eek:

Now all you E-2C selectees quit whining....you're quite valuable.

Why more E-2C's now. The E-2D is a much more capable a/c & will be in the fleet w/in a year or two, right?
 
The other method will continue to be airframe-by-airframe flight hour management...which is why pilots are seeing their overall time in the bird decreasing. The wing mods (SSI/ESSI) still only add so many fatigue life hours...and since the aircraft have to last until 2020 (at the earliest) I would anticipate seeing little to no relaxation of the flight hour/FLE/HONA limitations until fairly late in the game.

I would also like to know where that P-3 money is going...IE percentage going to mission systems mods vs wing band-aids. So far Google Fu has turned up little useful information.


Aren't there a fair number of boneyard War Pigs parked at DM? After all, isn't this where the VQ community gets a sizable portion of their birds?

Has anyone in the community thought of going down a similar path as the F-18A+, ie pulling boneyard birds back into service to extend the fleet's life expectancy? I'd be interested to see if this has been looked at since they want the Pigs flying for another dozen years.
 
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