The RAF’s C-130J aircraft will be retained, allowing them to support a range of operations until 2030.
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. The C-130J is a comprehensive update of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, with new engines, flight deck, and other systems. The Hercules family has the longest continuous production run of any military aircraft in history. During more than 50 years of service, the family has participated in military, civilian, and humanitarian aid operations.
The SDSR states:
“A recapitalised air transport fleet to enable our Armed Forces to intervene globally at speed. By 2016, we will have 14 Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft. Our 22 new A400M Atlas heavy-lift aircraft will enhance our global reach, alongside our eight C17 aircraft. We will upgrade and extend the life of our C130J aircraft, allowing them to support a range of operations until 2030.”
All C-130s were to be withdrawn by 2022.
One of the best aircraft ever.my favorite to jump from.
Sorry, have I woken up in a different country? So far on the military front it’s been all good news ……. Wow!
I concur! However, I am now concerned, more than ever, how badly hit the police will be tomorrow if so much money has been set for defence
Andy Berry Well, being as I have never once seen a copper on patrol in my area, I don’t see what we’ll be losing.
Bulk of the money is coming from savings elsewhere at the Mod. Should be easy enough to find within such a top heavy admin overloaded organisation.
Seeing a police constable on patrol is great in terms of the vulnerable feeling reassurred, but not necessarily a good thing in real terms
Why keep the Herc when Atlas is coming to the squadrons??
C130 is used by the special forces. Atlas is not
Different aircraft for different missions
A400M too big for some ops.
Good news indeed. I see there is a commitment to three SSS for the RFA in the SDSR too
The review gets better and better…sixty (?) strong fixed wing transport fleet. Excellent/
Great news all round,but can brize handle all the transport fleet?
Special Forces should have some http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-ac-130j-ghostrider-will-get-a-big-ass-gun-afterall-1682493641 support their operations.
I am still almost shocked at the scale of the increase, as I was depressingly not expecting much but cut and after cut. In my own option though, i’d say that the RAF has come out “the winner” in terms of equipment and manpower after this SDSR… Still though Navy and Army numbers are still too low. The Navy and Army have great equipment and are getting some absolute state of the art stuff, but it’s just the manpower and naval vessel numbers that are still quite dismal.
However seeing as the government are apparently allowing around 700 sailors an pilots to be recruited, I think they may have realised that the numbers are too low. Although I did read on the a BBC News article about how the navy’s manpower will be reduced to just 29,000 by 2020, not forgetting that the number includes just under 8,000 are Marine’s, so are is the government really thinking right reducing to just 21,000 regular sailors just as the 2 massive QE class carrier commission and other vessels?
I hope and think though that they might make up for it my recruiting a few thousand more reserve sailors and pilots just to boost the numbers up. But very pleased to hear that a total of 44 major transport aircraft will remain in service, and not drop to 30 as expected, the doubling of armed drone numbers, 2 more Typhoon squadrons, a full order of 138 F-35’s, increase from 30,000 to 50,000 deployable personnel numbers (Although i’m kind of stuck on where we will get the numbers, especially after all of these personnel cuts?) and much more!
How long will it take to have 22 A400M I wonder…
Simply too valuable and versatile to give up.
Good news indeed!