Author Topic: Air Force Wants to Move Fast on Boat Plane for Special Operators  (Read 68 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

rangerrebew

  • Guest

Air Force Wants to Move Fast on Boat Plane for Special Operators
 
A rendering of a twin float amphibious modification to an MC-130J Commando II is shown here. (Courtesy photo)
15 Sep 2021
Military.com | By Stephen Losey

The Air Force is moving forward with an amphibious, pontoon-equipped version of the MC-130J Commando II used by its special operators -- and hopes to be able to fly a prototype of the aircraft in less than a year and a half.

A U.S. Special Operations Command official said at a conference in May that the military was considering developing an amphibious MC-130, but that concerns about feasibility meant that the Air Force would take a hard look at the idea before proceeding.

But in a Tuesday press release, Air Force Special Operations Command outlined plans to go ahead with the MC-130J Commando II Amphibious Capability, or MAC, program.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/09/15/air-force-wants-move-fast-boat-plane-special-operators.html

Offline EdinVA

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8,584
  • Gender: Male
Re: Air Force Wants to Move Fast on Boat Plane for Special Operators
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2021, 01:00:20 pm »
So why not just use an existing, commercially available seaplane... sometimes I gotta wonder....
Hanging pontoons from a c130 will cut its airspeed and distance in half... dumb plan..