Re: 2pid and defense spending

I've long advocated that the US come up with an integrated heavy lift
cargo air mobility program. Key points:

1) Make the airlines buy roll-on, roll-off cargo aircraft that can be
quickly leased by the military to do the lion's share of the heavy
airlift we would need in actual combat operations while a) not being
an expensive albatross at all other times and b) encourage expedited
air freight for big items now needing awkward permit hauling by truck
by US carriers or, rather than bringing in outfits like AirFoyle.

2) Buy an existing airframe, such as the Antonov 124, under a deal
that would in essence trade US avionics and engines for the Eastern
Bloc airframe, a win-win creating jobs for both sides.

3. Have USAFR AMC and ANG directly commission, or warrant, aircrews
for transports from the airline pool. Active scheduled air carrier
crews with minimum standards (ATP and type rating, hours in type,
etc.) would be commissioned and trained without the ridiculous expense
of UPT, which is at its essence designed to produce fighter pilots.

4. When airliner markets are poor-such as, after 9/11 and in the
upcoming deprssion-buy midtime airliner airframes off the market at
just-over-market values. The 747s should be repurposed for special air
missions or parted out and scrapped, to keep them from being cargo
conversions and driving cargo aircraft prices up to encourage buying
roll-on, roll-off heavy haulers. The midsize aircraft should be
converted into tankers and the KC-135 fleet scrapped.
.

Relevant Pages

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    ... cargo air mobility program. ... If the fully burdened costs were billed out a ticket from NY to ... East would be ineffective ultimately if we did not "need Middle East ...
    (rec.audio.opinion)
  • Re: Towed take-off
    ... turrets fore and aft onto an airliner). ... In the good old days of the Empire Flying Boat service (Solent to Vaal ... Victoria and passengers and freight would then be rail transported to ... got up high enough to fly in cool air. ...
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  • Re: Duplicating
    ... preparing and transporting air ... >cargo on the Air Force cargo jets. ... >be a duplicate once used it is never good again. ... Dim iSeq As Integer ...
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  • Re: Denver in 2008
    ... offer us a guarantee that an older airliner will never suffer ... any further damage as a result of small arms fire from within. ... airliner hull sitting in a boneyard and one in the air. ... Well, more fun for pedants. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.fandom)
  • Re: Denver in 2008
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