Brits Getting RJs...

[M2]

Maybe now they'll quit bugging us for pics of the inside of one of them...

Cheers! M2

Pentagon Announces Rivet Joint Sale: The Department of Defense last week informed Congress of its intent to convert three KC-135R tankers into RC-135 Rivet Joint signals intelligence platforms for Britain under a proposed foreign military sale. If all options are exercised, the pending deal, including associated equipment and services, could be worth as much as $1.068 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a release Oct. 2. "The United Kingdom requests this capability to provide for the defense of its deployed troops, regional security, and interoperability with the United States," DSCA said. The Air Force has said it will make up for the three fewer tankers by temporarily allowing a higher utilization rate on its remaining KC-135Rs, assigning more crews, and adopting efficiencies in the KC-135R schoolhouse.

[Hacker]

And here I thought you were talking about one of these airline-killing pieces of FOD:

[Guest Boom]

The Air Force has said it will make up for the three fewer tankers by temporarily allowing a higher utilization rate on its remaining KC-135Rs, assigning more crews, and adopting efficiencies in the KC-135R schoolhouse.

Do more with less. Check.

[pawnman]

Do more with less. Check.

Don't worry, dude. That new tanker will be online by 2020...2030 at the latest.

[Bergman]

adopting efficiencies in the KC-135R schoolhouse.

Perhaps someone has finally realized that Altus still has 18 jets (IIRC) but has recently A) gotten rid of PUP training altogether and B) Gone from 8 flights to 4 for PIQ studs. Those changes have got to yield at least a 50% reduction in sorties, so IMHO they can probably spare a few tankers and sitll get the job done.

[Scooter14]

Back a bunch of years ago, we had a Nimrod R1 crewmember fly with my RJ crew during OSW. He invited us to their OL, so a couple of us hopped a -130 out to Bahrain to check it out. Seemed like they tried to cram a lot of the same stuff in 75% of the space with 75% of the crew.

We never flew, their two sorties during our stay canxed for maintenance.

I'm glad they are getting RJ's, I had heard about that yesterday but they didn't tell us the conversion was for the Brits. I do question the logic of replacing a 50 year old airplane with a 50 year old airplane The only thing I can think of was the people at the deopt that used to tell us that it's way easier to drill a hole in sheet metal for new antennas than it is to drill composites.

On the plus side...

Pod mounted jet engines > wingroot embedded jet engines

[busdriver]

The Comet based design of the Nimrod has some problems, like bursting into flames after air refueling and breaking up in flight.

[TarHeelPilot]

Why sell them an R model -135?

[JarheadBoom]

The only thing I can think of was the people at the deopt that used to tell us that it's way easier to drill a hole in sheet metal for new antennas than it is to drill composites.

It's FAR easier to drill sheetmetal.

I HATE working with Kevlar/carbon fiber/fiberglass - 3 different techniques, 3 different drill bits, and the damn hole still might not end up round.

Less work to get antennas to perform well on a metal airframe as well........

Gotta be an assload of work to take a functional KC-135R, disassemble it to skin-and-bones, and stuff all the shit required to turn it into an RC-135UK. Seems like a great opportunity to do a little more work, and throw new wing spars, CFM-56s, and PACER CRAG at the best 3 -135E's in AMARC, and keep the -135Rs.

[Cooter]

It's something to behold when you see them stripped down to the bones. I've been to the depot and walked around inside planes I've flown on and it's a weird feeling.

Cooter