France buys 4 C-130J transport aircraft

The French Defense Ministry announced the signing of a contract for the purchase of X-NUMX-x military transport aircraft Lockheed Martin C-4J Super Hercules directly from the US Air Force through the Foreign Military Sales line, the blog bmpd with reference to the resource Opex360.com.

We are talking about two transport workers C-130J and two refueling aircraft KS-130J, the estimated contract value of $ 650 million. At the same time, the cost of the aircraft and 4-s spare engines amounted to $ 295 million, the rest of the money (355 million) will go to onboard self-defense complexes, navigation systems, communication systems, personnel training, etc.

“France’s revised armament program for the period up to 2019 included the purchase of four C-130Js, two of which should be able to refuel helicopters in the air. Initially, this was supposed to be one of the tasks of the Airbus Military A400М Atlas military transport aircraft, but the tests revealed that it was impossible to use A400M as a tanker for helicopters, as the wake of the A400M engines creates significant air perturbations that are not safe for the helicopters to converge to refuel. ” resource.

The first C-130J pair should arrive in France by the end of 2017, the rest (tankers) in 2019.

Comments

[33 Watcher]

Will the expeditionary force to Libya be dragged onto them? A type of helicopters, let them home based?
Maybe hurry up with the Mistrals? Maybe you still had to leave yourself? Come on, it's not our business.

[Kostyar]

France buys 4 C-130J transport aircraft

Each is crazy in his own way .....

[Tor5]

Apparently a proposal came from the states that could not be refused.

[avt]

Quote: Bone

Each is crazy in his own way .....

You are wrong. This news is given in a sense of the fact that they could not even come close to making Bus No. 400, not only comparable to the An-70, but simply to fulfill the characteristics declared by THEIR SAME !!! equipment, for which he did not reckon, in the same Africa. Well, to ask for the same "Volgo-Dnieper" ..... as it is not comme il faut, in translation - zapadlo. Yes, actually, they indirectly signed this, judging by the quote in the article

“France’s revised armament program for the period up to 2019 included the purchase of four C-130Js, two of which should be able to refuel helicopters in the air. Initially, this was supposed to be one of the tasks of the Airbus Military A400М Atlas military transport aircraft, but the tests revealed that it was impossible to use A400M as a tanker for helicopters, as the wake of the A400M engines creates significant air perturbations that are not safe for the helicopters to converge to refuel. ” resource.

But they were offered close cooperation in the adaptation and manufacture of the An-70 / An-7X !!

[opus]

Quote: avt

however, the tests revealed the impossibility of using the A400M as a helicopter refueling device, since the satellite stream from the A400M engines creates significant air disturbances,

strange ... the American does not create (indignation)

and does he create with a Frenchman?

(1500l / min ... you can tolerate a chatter)
for aircraft with turbojet engine does not create:


Maybe because in the A400m all fuel lines and electrical and optical communication lines are already integrated in the wings and fuselage, therefore, the conversion of ANY transporter into a tanker takes only 2 hours?

in my opinion the "problem" is solved with the upgrade to SOC-1,5

The Turks chose it with "pleasure" (Turkey accepts first new Airbus A400M military cargo plane)


the plane is excellent

True $ 150 million / piece (120 promised)

[Great-grandfather of Zeus]

Buy analogues from China at a bargain price - they will make an exclusive option for you — with two cabs and motors in the cabin, and they will call them Mistral one, and Mistral two, but they won’t give it away, they will impose an embargo (they won’t return the money either!).

[cerbuk6155]

They joined NATO and there is their leader, and he needs to be fed, or he will insert a piston.

[tol100v]

Quote: cerbuk6155

They joined NATO and there is their leader, and he needs to be fed, or he will insert a piston.

A man comes to the casino, but they don't let him in: - You don’t have a tie! Man: - and there is that brow, they say there is nothing at all! So he comes out! You can try on a joke even to NATO, even to the EU! The EU is even better!

[SAM 5]

tests revealed the inability to use the A400M as a helicopter refueling machine

So from the migrants will blame them.

[gla172]

Honestly. For the first time I hear about refueling turntables, but now I read it all.
Well, in principle, for France, there’s no reason to refuel planes, only the tanker will take off, and here’s the border ....

[Blondy]

And really, what is it that everyone grieves. With 130 Hercules - a good car, the most massive "workhorse" in the world, has been in operation since 1956. The Soviet analogue of AN 12 did not hold out. Of course, IL 78 appeared, for swans they prepare IL 96 400. But with them, to put it mildly , it is difficult to refuel helicopters, or, for example, they will not be able to land on the deck of an aircraft carrier.

[glasha3032]

A "Great Campaign" is being prepared to Africa, northern and central, to defeat ISIS and those who have joined them. the distances there seem to be decent, so the tankers were required. It's a pity, we didn't succeed with the Mistrals, otherwise there would be two centers - control and supply + a hospital in Syria. But on the other hand, and not bad - there is a reason not to take part in this campaign, motivating the lack of supply ships (they did not sell themselves!) And laugh at NATO's attempts to fight ISIS in Africa.

[opus]

Quote: gla172

Honestly. For the first time I hear about refueling turntables, but now I read it all.

America's favorite pastime

Quote: gla172

Well, in principle, for France, there’s no reason to refuel planes, only the tanker will take off, and here is the border ...

What if French Air Force in Africa?

Mirage F1 in Tchad and Djiboutiplus rafale from the French Navy and also one Boeing KC135

[Papapg]

France buys 4 C-130J transport aircraft
Then they will impose sanctions against France for the oppression of gay migrants and your money cried, the French have no honor, they do not keep their word. One word is French ...

[gjv]

two of which should be able to refuel helicopters in the air

Filling a helicopter in the air is a dangerous activity, a trick. A hose can be wound on the paddles, a "pipiska" can fly into the forehead ...

[Lt. Air Force stock]

Quote: gjv

Refueling a helicopter in the air is a dangerous activity, a trick. A hose can be wound on the paddles, a "pipiska" can fly into the forehead ...

Therefore, the refueling scheme would be better changed. For example, this:
A rigid L-shaped fuel pipe extends on top of the aircraft, the same extends on the bottom of the helicopter, the helicopter on top of the aircraft draws together, joins the fuel pipelines, and pumps fuel.

[gjv]

Quote: Lt. air force reserve

Therefore, the refueling scheme would be better changed. For example, on this: A rigid L-shaped fuel pipe extends on top of the aircraft

The bar extends from below - they have it, you probably know - KC-135.

But pushing up is a more complicated task. Apparently they consider it too expensive to build a separate tanker for helicopters.

[Gur]

I don’t understand how the plane will fly the helicopter, unless on the ground

[gjv]

Quote: Gur

I don’t understand how the plane will fly the helicopter, unless on the ground

Refueling a helicopter in the air for these guys turned out to be more successful.

[Lt. Air Force stock]

however, the tests revealed the impossibility of using the A400M as a helicopter refueling device, since the satellite jet from the A400M engines creates significant air disturbances that are unsafe for approaching helicopters for refueling, ”the resource explains.

And at the design stage it wasn’t possible to find out? After all, there is computer simulation, there are models in the wind tunnel.
And it turns out like Antonov’s design bureau, they built a plane, and then it turned out that the alignment was wrong, I had to place the ballast, so the maximum payload decreased.
http://topwar.ru/86156-smi-ukrainskimi-razrabotchikami-an-178-dopuschena-oshibka
-pri-raschete-centrovki-aircraft.html

[SAM 5]

And the meaning of refueling the turntable in the air? Is it really going to fly so far?

[Lt. Air Force stock]

Quote: SAM 5

And the meaning of refueling the turntable in the air? Is it really going to fly so far?

Well, for example, anti-submarine helicopters or coastguard helicopters can be removed from the coast by several hundred kilometers at sea, while refueling the radius can be further increased.

[sub307]

As Zhvanetsky once said: "... some of us go around with questions, others with answers ...". You asked yourself and answered yourself. Well, if they buy for these purposes ..., then for sure - "gathering".

[k_ply]

Previously, France already had 14 C-130H.

[Mikhail Krapivin]

"At the same time, the cost of the planes themselves and 4 spare engines amounted to $ 295 million, the rest of the money (355 million) will go to onboard self-defense systems, navigation systems, communication systems, personnel training, etc."

Cool, the cost of the aircraft themselves with engines is less than the cost of electronics on board.

[marshes]

I honestly thought that 130 were no longer "tenants", we were offered to buy at the same time, though after a thorough overhaul. They refused, old, better new ones. We bought not big minibuses, like the An-24 e.

[k_ply]

Independent flights (transfer) of French SPN EC-725 helicopters to an overseas theater of operations across the Mediterranean, for example, to S. and C. Africa or to the Near and Middle East, apparently, are in no way expected? not to mention the provision of non-stop tactical aviation in general, in addition to the 14 French tankers KC-135 produced in the USA.
Not only the American warplanes and SPN MH-47 / -53 helicopters, but also the CH-53E helicopters of the expeditionary battalions and naval infantry brigades (the parts are delivered not only by descent ships of the Navy, but also by the BTA Air Force) make independent flights across the ocean to The operational mission (deployment) of formations, with additional adjustment in the air, if necessary.

On the picture. KS-130F provides tactical autonomy of the expeditionary battalion MP (2 KS-130).