In the United States working on a seaplane concept for the Air Force Special Operations Forces

The American Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is preparing to implement a seaplane program. We are talking about an airplane that has the ability to land on water and take off from the water surface.

The American program is noteworthy for a number of reasons. One of these reasons is that AFSOC is going to create a seaplane based on the military transport aircraft C-130 Hercules. Payload - up to 20 tons, gross take-off weight over 53 tons.

Earlier in the American press it was reported that the final amphibious aircraft may receive the designation MAC. Now the aforementioned American command is presenting the concept of a seaplane. The concept considers the option of using the chassis, which folds into special floats that allow landing on and off the water. Accordingly, the wheeled chassis will allow the seaplane to use conventional airfields.

The Special Operations Command of the Air Force says that such aircraft may be in demand when carrying out amphibious operations in the sea zone, including the coastline. At the same time, such an aircraft can be used both in the air force structures and in other types and branches of the forces - the Marine Corps, in the naval forces.

Lieutenant Colonel Joshua Trentam, deputy head of the science, systems, technology and innovation department of the special operations command of the US Air Force, notes that the appearance of a seaplane in the US Air Force will increase the capabilities, expand the geography of special and logistic operations.

At the same time, no dates have been set for when MAC may appear in the US Air Force. According to some reports, the Pentagon is ready to spend up to $ 450 million on the implementation of the program to develop an amphibious aircraft. However, the remark is immediately admitted: "At the first stage." AFSOC has not yet given an answer to the question of what the first stage is.

Comments

[Hog]

Inflatable floats are not destiny?

[Volodin]

Quote: Hog

Inflatable floats are not destiny?

For a 54 ton colossus? Well I do not know...

[Hog]

Quote: Volodin

Quote: Hog

Inflatable floats are not destiny?

For a 54 ton colossus? Well I do not know...

On VVA-14, they somehow coped with 52 tons of maximum load.

[Vladimir_2U]

Quote: Hog

On VVA-14, they somehow coped with 52 tons of maximum load.

Firstly, they did not cope with the initial concept of vertical take-off and landing, and the floats were intended for this purpose, and secondly, they were eliminated when they were converted into the EP.

[Vladimir_2U]

Quote: Hog

Inflatable floats are not destiny?

It is not destiny to take off or even sit down normally.

[Peak]

In the United States working on a seaplane concept for the Air Force Special Operations Forces

For me personally, the best concept of an American amphibious aircraft was and remains - PBY "Catalina" ("Catalina").

The most successful, and probably the most massive naval aircraft in its class, which happened to serve in the fleets and armies of many countries ...

[Vladimir_2U]

Be-12 of course!

[Peak]

Quote: Vladimir_2U

Be-12 of course!

Undoubtedly, the Be-12 is a hard worker, our masterpiece, but I wrote about the American vision of a seaplane, and I think that the PBY "Catalina" is the most successful of the American seaplane concepts.

[Fitter65]

Quote: PiK

Undoubtedly, the Be-12 is a hard worker, our masterpiece, but I wrote about the American vision of a seaplane, and I think that the PBY "Catalina" is the most successful of the American seaplane concepts.

It is a pity that you did not mention the GTS-licensed version of Catalina. My friend's father fought on such an airplane during the "second Russian-Japanese war".

[Journalist]

I also don’t understand why not use the concept of a gondola. Why this vegetable garden with folding floats, which is de facto only overweight? Or Hercules as a base is a must - period?

[serezhasoldatow]

Only beautiful planes fly for a long time, and this ... standard.

[Cat]

Inflatable floats are not destiny?

Crew too small - it's hard to inflate

[Vladimir_2U]

Quote: Gato

Crew too small - it's hard to inflate

And what about saboteurs, they are healthy guys!

[Cat]

Yeah, but if you also feed them with peas ..

[Nexcom]

Crew too small - it's hard to inflate

nothing, the compressor from the beach air mattress is used.
to the edge - a bicycle pump.

[aszzz888]

The Pentagon is ready to spend in the end up to 450 million dollarsv. However, a remark is immediately allowed: "At the first stage". AFSOC has not yet given an answer to the question of what the first stage is.

How many such stages will there be? Another cut dough.

[Terrible_L.]

There is a ready-made option:

Don't thank, overseas gentlemen

[Vladimir_2U]

This is not a "Dive" case?

[Terrible_L.]

Yes yes, Baloo plane

[Cat Alexandrovich]

- When will communism come?
- After 10 kilometers?
-?
- The party leadership says that each five-year plan is a new step towards communism.

[knn54]

-Sheriff: How many stages will there be?
For example, skis ...

[aszzz888]

Nicholas, ! I didn't quite understand about skiing ... But if aquatic, then yes.

[Jacket in stock]

Interesting idea. It is strange that they still did not have such a machine.
Although...
With their number of bases and simply accessible airfields anywhere in the world, it’s not very bad.

[Cat]

No, not impressive. Now, if Galaxy were put on floats - then yes. And so - no

[Nexcom]

better let Howard Hughes' Hercules reincarnate. And cheap - 70% wooden.

[Hagalaz]

For special operations again against those who have no air defense?

[Galleon]

Either the Yankees want to make ekranoplanes, now they are considering a landing seaplane. Something itching they have is on the topic of landing operations in the coastal zone. Are they preparing to fight China?

[APASUS]

It is strange that the Americans decided to use the standard C-130 Hercules. For the Navy, such aircraft are not suitable for a number of reasons, simply using floats will not work. Here is the hull (salt water will quickly bring it back to normal and low-hanging engines, air intakes and a lot of problems with the load on the hull when landing on water)

[VicktorVR]

Maybe they will take a ready-made wing with engines, a boat will be suspended from it based on the stock fuselage of the 130th according to the Catalina scheme. It's the cheapest way.

[The leader of the Redskins]

Well, the CGI suggested doesn't say it will.
I, personally, believe that, perhaps, they will also remake the "Hercules" from below. Like our Mi 14 helicopter.

[APASUS]

Quote: Leader of the Redskins

I, personally, believe that, perhaps, they will also remake the "Hercules" from below. Like our Mi 14 helicopter.

You can't just alter it, there the longitudinal loads on the hull when landing on the water are so strong that you will have to strengthen the structure (changing weight and centering), you will have to raise the engines, it will be a completely different plane.

[rocket757]

The American Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is preparing to implement a seaplane program. We are talking about an airplane that has the ability to land on water and take off from the water surface.

A transport worker, a seaplane ... nothing fundamentally new, except perhaps to improve the characteristics, to get something more specific. This is fine.

[Artemion3]

We would have such an anti-submarine.

[Artemion3]

Quote: APASUS

It is strange that the Americans decided to use the standard C-130 Hercules. Such aircraft are not suitable for the Navy for a number of reasons.

Hercules seems to have a high arrangement of engines, but there are still options on whose base to build?

[evgen1221]

And the engines, apparently, will have to be installed from the locomotive, all 4. Plus, floats from selected adamantium to fight, so that the weight will fit.

[Dmitry Vladimirovich]

The Be-200 is expensive.

[Dmitry Vladimirovich]

Little - Be-200
A-40 Albatross - the project was resumed in 2016.

[Wedmak]

project relaunched in 2016

And something is dull for now. Although it might be useful as a patrolman, and as an anti-submarine.

[Ramon Mercader]

I also wanted to speak for Catalina, but they beat me to it. However, she is in a slightly different weight category than Hercules. As for the seaplane for special operations, I myself have been thinking about this for a long time, but Gerk is suitable for this as a cow for plowing a field - (of course, it can, but obviously not that). A flying boat will be much more practical. Moreover, it is highly desirable with a docking camera.
By the way (About Igor's regiment) there is also US-2 and Spruce Goose (the second is true in a single copy).

[serezhasoldatow]

Hmm ... there is enough everywhere.

[Svetlana]

Amphibious vertical takeoff / landing aircraft (VTOL) of the "flying saucer" type:

In the second picture, a rotor disc with retractable blades is removed from the flying saucer.
The annular wing of the VTOL aircraft contains a retractable annular blade ring (of the "squirrel cage" type) for rotating the annular wing around the vertical axis, as well as retractable blades to create vertical lift. The blades of the retractable annular blade ring are fastened from above and below by banding rings.
The annular blade ring is pushed out of the annular wing from the bottom up by moving up / down four pins rigidly connected to the blade ring and an annular rail attached to them, pushed up / down by hydraulic cylinders installed in the non-rotating fuselage of the VTOL aircraft, and the vertical force is transmitted through 4 rotating wheels installed outside the side surface of the VTOL fuselage with the ability to move up / down the vertical slots on the side surface of the fuselage.
The retractable blades are pushed out of the annular wing in the radial direction using centrifugal force, and are pushed inside the annular wing by electro-hydraulic cable drives, individual for each blade. VTOL control in hovering mode - by adjusting the air flow rate of four air bleed from the second circuits of turbojet engines (TJE) directed vertically down through the four air bleed pipes of the second circuit of the turbojet engine.
The advantage of the VTOL amphibious:
- hot exhaust of turbojet engines is directed horizontally and does not have an aggressive destructive effect on the take-off deck.
- in an annular fuselage or in a rotating disk with blades, an AESA of a circular view with a synthetic aperture can be placed.
- amphibious water landing and takeoff capabilities.
- the possibility of using VTOL aircraft for water intake from small lakes when extinguishing fires.

[Ros 56]

And we already have one, A-40 is his name, though I don’t remember his performance characteristics at all. I'll go take a look.

[75 Sergey]

They want to get by with half measure.
Well, you can cut money .... at the first stage.