U-28...How long is it going to be around?

[Drizzie]

 

I’m only a month or so away from submitting my “dream sheet” in UCT, and I’ve been doing a good amount of research on the planes I’m interested in. The U-28 mission interests me a lot, but I’m concerned with the lifespan of the airframe and the CSO’s role in the mission. I’ve read a lot of articles and heard a lot of rumors around the squadrons here about the mission going away for the CSO and it all going to the MC-12s, etc.

I can’t find a lot of solid information on the topic so I’m hoping someone on here can shed some light on the subject. Thanks for your help.

https://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&dbname=cp113&sid=cp1130zsNS&refer=&r_n=sr176.113&item=&&&sel=TOC_326689&

https://breakingdefense.com/tag/mc-12-liberty/

https://www.socom.mil/News/Documents/FY 2015 USSOCOM Budget Highlights.pdf

 

[Disco_Nav963]

The AFSOC MC-12 variant will have a CSO. So I imagine you'd be set either way.

[hispeed7721]

It's not going away anytime soon

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ATIS]

The U-28 (or it's follow-on LFW T/M/S will have a CSO)...so the job will be there, just the "Spam Can" you are in might change.

 

Cheers

ATIS

[nsplayr]

Everyone above is correct.

CSOs will be doing manned ISR in AFSOC on either the U-28 or it's replacement for the indefinite foreseeable future.  Replacing the U-28s with MC-12s on active duty was the plan and that plan got very far down the path toward implementation but died in Congress and is no longer happening.  What does eventually replace the U-28 is TBD and I'd wager probably 5 years out at least.  My $0.02.

If you want to do that mission do well at nav school and put the U-28 high on your dream sheet.  Also recommend looking at the AC-130W, although Cannon is a guarantee rather than an option so you've got to consider that.  Stateside location aside, they have a great mission and I recommend considering mission before location when thinking about a dream sheet.

MC-12s will be flown as an AFSOC asset going forward but in the Guard, 185th SOS out in OKC.  Same basic technical capes as before when they were flown by ACC but will be crewed by Guardsmen and the TTPs and mindset will be more of what you see in AFSOC and the U-28.

Edited September 14, 2015 by nsplayr

[hispeed7721]

I recommend considering mission before location when thinking about a dream sheet.

This is the best advice by far, for anyone in some facet of training

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Disco_Nav963]

 

This is the best advice by far, for anyone in some facet of training

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

"Two." I dropped one jet in nav school for the location and had to work hard to crossflow to another one for the mission. The result was what would be considered by any thinking person to be a location downgrade. I'm still much happier.

[ATIS]

 Replacing the U-28s with MC-12s on active duty was the plan and that plan got very far down the path toward implementation but died in Congress and is no longer happening.  What does eventually replace the U-28 is TBD and I'd wager probably 5 years out at least.  My $0.02.

Plan should have died before it even went to Congress.  They didn't want to spend the $$$ on what was really needed.  IMO it would have been a step backward from what U28 folks are used to now.

[nsplayr]

Yep, agree.  Dodged a huge bullet by sticking with what we've got for now and planning for something that's actually got the capes needed in the future.

Edited September 17, 2015 by nsplayr

[Drizzie]

Thanks for all the info. It's near or at the top of my list. Being a prior enlisted dude I didn't want to get another 5 years down the road, be sitting at almost 13 years and lose a job.