The C-130 Hercules aircraft, which was introduced over half a century ago, is often flown by crew members who are younger than the plane they are flying. And that peculiar arrangement is likely to continue into the foreseeable future, says a new report from the Congressional Research Service.
“The C-130 has been the cornerstone of the U.S. tactical airlift fleet since the late 1950s. Military planners believe that C-130 aircraft provide the United States an edge in achieving national goals. They provide a capability to rapidly deliver forces making conventional deterrence more effective and expanding the ability to provide humanitarian assistance. However, the fleet has aged with some current models being flown by aircrew younger than the aircraft they are flying. As the fleet ages, management issues arise with reduced reliability, obsolescence and reduced parts availability, and changing aviation rules that impact availability of airspace due to obsolete avionics capabilities,” the CRS report said.
See C-130 Hercules: Background, Sustainment, Modernization, Issues for Congress, June 24, 2014.
Other newly updated CRS reports on Navy force structure and related issues include the following.
Navy Shipboard Lasers for Surface, Air, and Missile Defense: Background and Issues for Congress, June 25, 2014
Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, June 25, 2014
Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress, June 25, 2014
Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, June 25, 2014
Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress, June 25, 2014
Navy LX(R) Amphibious Ship Program: Background and Issues for Congress, June 25, 2014
Navy TAO(X) Oiler Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues for Congress, June 25, 2014
Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress, June 25, 2014
The emerging federal metascience community is asking fascinating questions that are equally vital for democratic legitimacy: beyond “did this program work” to “how does the federal R&D enterprise itself work, and how could it work better?”
If you’re new to the climate intervention space, welcome! The TL;DR: if we can’t stop the most catastrophic impacts of climate change with current tools quickly enough, then we need a bigger toolbox.
After months of delay, the council tasked by President Trump to review the FEMA released its final report. Our disaster policy nerds have thoughts.
FAS and FLI partnered to build a series of convenings and reports across the intersections of artificial intelligence (AI) with biosecurity, cybersecurity, nuclear command and control, military integration, and frontier AI governance. This project brought together leaders across these areas and created a space that was rigorous, transpartisan, and solutions-oriented to approach how we should think about how AI is rapidly changing global risks.