Developing Afghanistan U.S. C-130 Deal

The Pentagon is working out the details of a scheme to equip the Afghanistan Air Force with four C-130H Transport plane.

"The USAF HAS Developed a strategy to aggressively Pursue Delivering two C-130H aircraft in late CY 2013 and two additional C-130H aircraft before the end of CY 2014," Ed Gulick, Air Force spokesman, wrote in a statement. He added in the second quarter That of Afghan pilots this year will travel to "various locations" in the U.S. for training on the flat.

"Air Force leadership Recognizes the need to address the aussitôt [Afghan Air Force] requirement for medium airlift capability, and is Committed to Provide year effective and sustainable airlift capability for our Afghan partners as soon as possible," Gulick wrote.

In December, the Air Force Decided not to renew a contract with Alenia Finmeccanica filiale to refurbish C-27A plane for transportation Afghanistan, Citing poor performance from the Italian company. Although the contract, Which expires in March, Called for 20 of the planes to be Delivered transportation, the aircraft Spent much of the last year grounded due to maintenance issues.

"C-130s will start to let Afghanis build backbone of Their Own responsive airlift to move troops and supplies em Where they need to enforce stability," Rebecca Grant, president of IRIS Independent Research, wrote in an email. "With C-130s, They can use the huge network of over 70 airfields and strips built up by the Coalition and Airdrop do too."


"There are capabilities you want with a smaller flat - greater Flexibility in payload and airfield Easier access," Richard Aboulafia, an analyst with the Teal Group, said. Purpose the C-130s are "very capable" and can carry more cargo.

"It really depends on the task They Have in mind," he said. "Having a mix of Both might not be a bad thing at all."

However, the C-130s Have the bonus of Being the transportation of choice for the flat U.S. Air Force, Aboulafia Notes Which might simplify logistics and training entre le two services.

The decision to move Toward the C-130 is just the latest in a running battle entre le transporting two planes. In President Obama's fiscal 2013 budget, the Air Force Proposed canceling the C-27J program Effective Concluding each Stock Flat Would cost $ 308 million over icts lifetime. Have members of Congress challenged the service we That estimate, Citing previous Air Force studies the lifetime That could cost as low as $ 111 million per plane.