All articles tagged with #aircraft upgrade
President Trump claimed a donated Qatari jet could be ready for use as Air Force One within six months, but experts are highly skeptical due to the extensive upgrades, security, and safety requirements needed, which typically take much longer. The plan has raised legal, ethical, and security concerns, and the timeline appears unrealistic given the complexity of retrofitting a foreign aircraft for presidential use.
The US Navy is deploying F-35C Lightning II fighters and CMV-22B Osprey aircraft to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan, replacing the aging F/A-18 Super Hornets and C-2A Greyhound transports. This move aims to enhance air capabilities amid rising tensions with China. The F-35C jets will provide superior air superiority and deep-strike capabilities, while the CMV-22B Ospreys will improve operational range and support for carrier strike groups. The USS George Washington will replace the USS Ronald Reagan as the forward-deployed aircraft carrier in Japan.
The Department of the Air Force has chosen four National Air Guard locations as preferred sites for upgrading their C-130H aircraft to C-130J Super Hercules. The selected locations are pending environmental assessments, and each will receive eight C-130J aircraft to replace their aging fleet. The upgrade will require new flight qualification for pilots and loadmasters, and any excess manpower will be repurposed through the Air National Guard corporate process. The Air National Guard will analyze each unit to determine bed down sequencing timelines, with a final decision expected in fiscal year 2025 after completing environmental impact analyses.