Huey UH-1Y

Huey goes high tech

The Corps is replacing its UH-1N Hueys with the next generation UH-1Y “Yankee,” which debuted this past summer, and now the first three are preparing for their initial operational deployment overseas, joining the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group when they leave San Diego in January.

With four rotor blades instead of two, the Yankee produces a faster, higher pitched “chop-chop” sound, similar to the Navy’s four-blade S-60 Seahawk helicopters. “The tradeoff,” said Maj. Christopher Chown, a Huey pilot leading the H-1 transition team at Pendleton’s Marine Helicopter Training Squadron 303, “is you don’t hear them coming — but that’s a good thing.”

But there is much more to the new Huey than its sound signature. It will provide the Corps with enhanced capabilities: more lift, greater speed, longer range and better survivability. Coupled with a “glass” cockpit, integrated avionics and heads-up helmet displays for the pilots, this bird is a utility helicopter for the 21st century, officials say.

The Y model Hueys are 80% faster and have 76% more lift than N models.

Flames from Monday's Hornet crash in San Diego

A man who lost his wife, two kids, and mother-in-law to Monday’s accident had this to say:

“I believe my wife and two babies and mother-in-law are in heaven with God,” Yoon said at a news conference afterward. “Nobody expected such a horrible thing to happen, especially right here, our house.”

Yoon said he bore no ill will toward the Marine Corps pilot who ejected safely before the jet plunged into the neighborhood two miles west of the runway at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. “I pray for him not to suffer for this action,” Yoon said. “I know he’s one of our treasures for our country.”

The family immigrated from South Korea and had moved into the house just a few weeks ago. Initial investigation points toward engine failure as the cause of the crash.

First we saw the Admiral Kuznetsov in the Barents Sea. Then the former Admiral Gorshkov, now India’s Vikramaditya, was floated for the first time in three years.

Now it’s the former Rooskie Varyag, today property of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy: New movement for Varyag:

The photo is kind of interesting because it looks like they opened up the missile section (where the shipwreck missiles would be) to fit equipments in there. We are not sure exactly what. One of the major possibilities would be engines for Varyag.

The engine-less partially complete ship was sold by the Ukraine to China with the stipulation that it never be used as a warship. The Chinese buyers claimed it was going to become a massive floating casino. Now, many analysts suspect that the PLAN is going to use it as a training carrier. Supporting this are reports that the Russians may have sold China up to 50 Su-33 Flanker-D multi-role naval fighters.

Go see Information Dissemination for photos and discussion of the Varyag’s condition.

This one is now India’s: Russian Carrier Conversion Moves Forward

A former Russian aircraft carrier under conversion for India is afloat again after three years in drydock.

The former Admiral Gorshkov was refloated on Dec. 4 at Sevmash’s northern Russia shipyard in Severodvinsk, Sevmash reported. The ship had been in drydock since December 2005.

Now known as the Vikramaditya, the ship is being refurbished for India’s Navy.

It was built as a modified Kiev-class ship with missile launchers and such on the forward deck, but the conversion will turn it into a full deck carrier with a ski-jump launch forward and the capability to land MiG-29Ks.

Here’s a Google shot of the carrier in drydock:

Admiral Gorshkov in Severodvinsk drydock

A while back there was some crazytalk that maybe the Indians would try to return the carrier and cancel the deal. In response, some were pushing the F-18 Super Hornet (with possibly the USS Kitty Hawk) instead of the MiGs.

Wing cracks take out half of A-10 fleet

As of early December, 168 attack jets — nearly half the service’s 356 Warthogs — remain grounded because of wing cracks. Those planes should be repaired by June, said Maj. David Ruth, A-10 weapons system team chief at Air Combat Command headquarters, Langley Air Force Base, Va.

The grounding began Oct. 3 after inspectors at Ogden Air Logistics Center in Utah, where A-10s are sent for major overhauls and upgrades, raised concerns about wing cracks.

An A-10 Thunderbolt II flies a close-air-support mission over Afghanistan on Oct. 7. The A-10 has excellent maneuverability at low air speeds and altitude, and are highly accurate weapons-delivery platforms. The first production A-10A was delivered to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., in October 1975. It was designed specially for the close-air-support mission and had the ability to combine large military loads, long loiter and wide combat radius, which proved to be vital assets to the United States and its allies during Operation Desert Storm and Operation Noble Anvil. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Aaron Allmon)

Pilots have been rotating from base to base in order to get flying hours during the grounding.

What we need is a way to build more of these bad birds.

The CSAR-X initial operational capability has been pushed back to 2013.

An HH-60G Pave Hawk aircraft picks up downed Airmen during a training scenario at the Grand Bay training and gunnery range at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., during a combat search and rescue demonstration Dec. 5, 2007. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brittany Barker) (Released) Photographer's Name: A1C BRITTANY BARKER Location: Moody Air Force Base Date Shot: 12/5/2007

A new CSAR-X contract, to replace the old contract which evaporated in an appeals by Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin, was supposed be be awarded by the end of this year. It won’t be.