RAF Hercules C-130 Retirement

[Uncle Sam]

There are quite a few missions the C-130s can execute which the A400Ms cannot.
For the life of me I can’t see why the MoD cannot keep 10-12 of the current fleet and upgrade them or modernise them for SF use.
Fair enough reduce the fleet size to save costs and use the A400Ms to fill their roles. But completely retiring the whole fleet - particularly in the current climate, seems foolhardy and could leave the MoD with egg on their faces if they require a mission to be undertaken that cannot be executed due to lack of suitable airframes.

[POL]

There are quite a few missions the C-130s can execute which the A400Ms cannot.
For the life of me I can’t see why the MoD cannot keep 10-12 of the current fleet and upgrade them or modernise them for SF use.

10-12 of the current fleet...of 8?

[Vulcanone]

The decision to retire them was made, and slightly extended from March to June, that is done and not changing. The end.

Expect we will go cap in hand and get other hired assets. Or as we helped the French in Africa with Chinooks and also, initially C-17s. then expect the neighbours to help (maybe)....

[TonyO]

There are quite a few missions the C-130s can execute which the A400Ms cannot.

Which missions are those, because almost all the C-130J missions have now been transferred to A400M, and the type is awaiting clearances for the rest.

[f-4]

I think - as Sudan is proving - it's more a question of numbers of airframes and crews. Will 22 A400s be enough to fulfil all commitments?

[Johno]

I think you're in the wrong place? This is the Fairford Bomber Deployment section (it's happened, it's over).

Where was the Hercules circa 1300 hours? Or do you want to know about the Roman god, Hercules, who would have been dead for well over a 1000 years by 1300 AD.

Finally, who or what is retiring and what news are you interested in?

Never seen such a pedantic and disrespectful post, and this wasn't the only one.

[XWP29]

XP. I understand your comments and frustrations, but it must be apparent to you that this country is very strapped for cash, and you must cut your coat according to the cloth that you can afford!.

In terms of defence the deep and debilitating cuts are a false economy. As we know disarming in the 30's was seen as a weakness and in part that error was catastrophic in terms of the subsequent cost and loss of human life. Strong defence is key and we forget that at our peril, we are winging it now and relying on the US. If only there were no threats or others who despise our society and way of life.

My choice is for a strong defence, including people and conventional armaments as a top priority. The costs need to be funded, particularly as the tax regime is the highest it has been since WW2.
Getting the procurement right in the MOD might save some wasted costs too, two flat tops and not enough trained F-35 pilots to crew the aircraft.

[Vulcanone]

Refer to the subject topic on PPRune..... It might give a clue

Military aviation etc section.

[POL]

Never seen such a pedantic and disrespectful post, and this wasn't the only one.

Good for you, coming to a post over a month after it was posted, when the context has changed. Well done!

[XWP29]

Refer to the subject topic on PPRune..... It might give a clue

Military aviation etc section.

Thank you, which specific thread are you recommending there?

[Vulcanone]

The one thread they discuss the upcoming early retirement of the RAF C-130s

[Mike]

Refer to the subject topic on PPRune..... It might give a clue

Military aviation etc section.

Thank you, which specific thread are you recommending there?

https://www.pprune.org/military-aviatio ... early.html

[Vulcanone]

Well there you go Mike was nice enough to send a link.

Me, I prefer to do the research myself....

[Unknown74]

It is going to be really strange when the Hercules does retire! Not seeing it flying over is going to be weird somehow……..?!

[Vulcanone]

Well I guess you could say the same for any other aircraft they have retired...

[POL]

Thankfully it's only the RAF who are retiring them, there are many hundreds elsewhere in the world. Lots of them even overfly the UK!

[XWP29]

Refer to the subject topic on PPRune..... It might give a clue

Military aviation etc section.

Thank you, which specific thread are you recommending there?

https://www.pprune.org/military-aviatio ... early.html

Thanks Mike

[XWP29]

Well there you go Mike was nice enough to send a link.

Me, I prefer to do the research myself....

Were you being helpful or just to be able to try to look superior? I knew the background and as a blog on another forum it didn’t relate at all to my suggestion that we needed to maintain and increase our armed forces. Or the wasteful procurement issue. Made in reply to another point raised by another member.
In fact going further on that subject spending of 4% of GDP with wasteful procurement is unlikely to stop future cuts.
If you’re going to interject please try to read and understand the post you reply to first, and if offering some other reading material post a link to it.

[Vulcanone]

Helpful. As for your second comment It infers on PPRune that is likely a result of Brexit... Not COVID,The energy Crisis, or the UKrainian Wars fault

And as I said, I prefer to research my way. Which is why I have worked for publishing companies that do magazines or did journals (WAPJ/WOF) that you lot buy.

[Johno]

Never seen such a pedantic and disrespectful post, and this wasn't the only one.

Good for you, coming to a post over a month after it was posted, when the context has changed. Well done!

And another one.