Air Force Base Activity

reply to post by SplitInfinity


Well, the Russians ahve always been known for the old adage. "Go big, or go home" concerning their lift capabilities.

But, the Boeing 747 (aka a E-4 in the USAF inventory) cannot load and off load a M1 Abrams.

So that job is left to C-17's and C-5's. C-130's can ahndle one styker at a time, not much else.

Originally posted by TDawgRex
reply to post by SplitInfinity

 

Well, the Russians ahve always been known for the old adage. "Go big, or go home" concerning their lift capabilities.

But, the Boeing 747 (aka a E-4 in the USAF inventory) cannot load and off load a M1 Abrams.

So that job is left to C-17's and C-5's. C-130's can ahndle one styker at a time, not much else.

Still...the C-17...a great cargo plane for its role...only need 3 guys to load and off load...is much smaller than a C-5A or C-5B...I was responding to your statement about the C-17. Split Infinity

Originally posted by TDawgRex
One thing I find amusing is that my father who was a LTC (AGR) accrued more flying hours than his Active Duty brethren.

He's retired now, as am I, but it still occurs to this day, even with all the deployments.

More bang for the bucks, brother. AF Guard/Reserve do about 70% of the airlift with about 30% of the budget.

Well, at least now. Who knows after the budget axe falls.

Originally posted by concernedcitizen519

Originally posted by jerryznv

Originally posted by concernedcitizen519
I noticed a higher than normal amount of what looked like Military Cargo Planes coming in today. I live on the border of Detroit, but I'm in Canada. We don't usually have these big planes coming in but when they do you can sure hear them coming from a long way's off. I managed to snap a couple shots, if anyone is interested I can post them and maybe someone can help determine what kind of planes they are.

Anyways, just thought I'd share that, could be something, could be nothing. Remain vigilant!

I'm interested in the pictures you have...don't know if I can help identify the planes...but I would like to see them anyway!

Okay, here we go;

C 17 cargo master.

Originally posted by NoSoup4U

Originally posted by concernedcitizen519

Originally posted by jerryznv

Originally posted by concernedcitizen519
I noticed a higher than normal amount of what looked like Military Cargo Planes coming in today. I live on the border of Detroit, but I'm in Canada. We don't usually have these big planes coming in but when they do you can sure hear them coming from a long way's off. I managed to snap a couple shots, if anyone is interested I can post them and maybe someone can help determine what kind of planes they are.

Anyways, just thought I'd share that, could be something, could be nothing. Remain vigilant!

I'm interested in the pictures you have...don't know if I can help identify the planes...but I would like to see them anyway!

Okay, here we go;

Those are C-17 Cargo Aircraft. They are the largest cargo aircraft in the Air Force. I was in the Air Force and a crew-chief on F-16's. I believe that is a C-17 though. That airplane is bigger than a football field. They can carry tanks, hum v's or just large equipment. Very impressive lift capabilities.

You must not have ever seen a C5 Galaxy. I have seen them and been on one. C-17 is not even close. I worked on AWACS.

reply to post by SplitInfinity


Hey SplitInfinity hows it going. They are flying the C-17s into the Desert because their Lift ratio characteristics in the low density air due to heat. Never saw any C-5s come and go out of Prince Sultan Air Base KSA.
anyway even the C-17's would sit all loaded up and wait for a cool morning to take off out of that god forsaken oven

take it easy, reb.

Originally posted by signal2noise
Wow, all these super-dooper cool theories, but everyone seems to have forgotten something.

For a lot of guard and reserve units, drill weekend is coming up. That means we fly more than normal.

Yup, the weekend of the 10th and 11th is the drill weekend this month.

I actually work for 50 APS at March ARB. There's not been any increase in activity that I've noticed.

Originally posted by rebellender
reply to post by SplitInfinity

 

Hey SplitInfinity hows it going. They are flying the C-17s into the Desert because their Lift ratio characteristics in the low density air due to heat. Never saw any C-5s come and go out of Prince Sultan Air Base KSA.
anyway even the C-17's would sit all loaded up and wait for a cool morning to take off out of that god forsaken oven

take it easy, reb.

You are right....especially if there is alot of drifting granular Dust or Sand...still...the C-5A and B are the Big time movers of equipment to any country....like Saudi Arabia....with decent runways...the C-17's were designed as a replacement for the C-130 Hercules but the C-130's are still a great plane and I have been on a SPOOKY AND A SPECTRE.

Nothing scares the S#!% out of a dug in enemy more so than one of these.

The Current B-52H's that will be in service till...get this...2037!....scare any enemy to DEATH. You get a formation of B-52H's equiped with Modified Standard 500 or 750 lbs gravity drop bombs that air burst over target via GPS and then send THOUSANDS of SMART BOMBLETS...NOT CLUSTER BOMBS that some kid could pick up if it did not explode and get killed playing with it...as these new Bomblets beome innert if not exploded....anyways...either 80-500lbs advanced gravity drop airburst smart bomblet strikers or 40 750lbs of the same as well as being able to carry another 24...500 or 750 lbs smart airburst Gravity bomblets carried on external racks...with these B-52H's flying at Super High Altitudes....too high to be shot down....and in CARPET BOMBING FORMATION using the airburst Bomblets that are smart enough to detect enemy Equipment, Tanks, Men to an extent that they will actually send a certain quantity directly at a larger or more shielded target....is the way the U.S. Wiped out an entire REPUBLICAN GUARD DIVISION specifically targeted for their KNOWN ATTROCITIES. No one in that division survived the B-52H's attack...nor did they even know the bombs were on the way.

After that...Iraqi divisions surrendered in mass. The B-2's are used for High Priority Command and Control Targets....so are the B-1's....but the B-52's...the oldest and most lethaly capable Aircraft in History....are still talked about by enemies that were 50 or more miles away when they saw then heard the Devestation. There are only about 90 B-52H's left out of the Hundreds upon Hundreds that were the Mainstay of SAC....but reguardless of USAF activity or the Air National Guard who fly A-10's and F-15A's and B's....as well as C-5A's....you KNOW THE S#!% IS ABOUT TO HIT THE FAN when you see B-52's in the Air!

B-52H's are not a type of aircraft that are constantly in the air training as the U.S. conserves the H-Series Airframe to as little flight time as possible since no more will be built. New Bombers will most likely be Stealth and Robotic and with the advent of DIRECT ENERGY WEAPONS like the U.S. Free Electron Laser...as well as Huge advancements in Solid Fuel Long Burning and power...as is the case of the Modified SM-3 which went from a USN Carrier Defense Missle against Jet Aircraft and Cruise Missles as well as other Anti-Ship Missles....to a Fully Capable ABM as well as bein a satellite Killer...and this is a Missle the U.S. and Canada posses in the Tens of thousands....I am sure our adversaries will also be working on similar systems that will make the B-52H a thing of the past....BUT NOT UNTIL 2037! And until then...i would not want to be a Soldier on the Ground that was an ADVERSARY of the United States....as a 7 to 15 in number B-52H Wing was about to Carpet bomb with advanced Weapons a swath of land Hundreds of miles long and 50 Miles wide.

This is one Hell of a Weapons system and was built right and evolved to continue to work right and will still be doing missions a QUARTER CENTURY AWAY FROM NOW! Now IMAGINE THE WEAPONS SYSTEMS THE U.S. NOW HAS AVAILABLE THAT ARE SECRET?!?! Split Infinity

I see nothing odd....been around AF bases for nearly 10 years....

This week Buckley AFB is having an excercise and drill in preparation for an inspection. More air activity than normal. This is commong for AFB all over the country.... SOURCE HERE

Originally posted by greeneyedleo
I see nothing odd....been around AF bases for nearly 10 years....

This week Buckley AFB is having an excercise and drill in preparation for an inspection. More air activity than normal. This is commong for AFB all over the country.... SOURCE HERE

It is tough to get an idea of the USAF or Air ational Guard gearingup from looking at just one base...unless that base is synonomous with the word DEPLOYMENT or a good way to know something is up is if you see bases with C-5's as well as C-17's gearing up simultaniously as it costs alot to load and fly these planes.

You see more than 4 mainly CARGO bases going all High Alert....somethings up! Split Infinity
ps...is tht your actual picture?

Originally posted by SplitInfinity

Originally posted by rebellender
reply to post by SplitInfinity

 

Hey SplitInfinity hows it going. They are flying the C-17s into the Desert because their Lift ratio characteristics in the low density air due to heat. Never saw any C-5s come and go out of Prince Sultan Air Base KSA.
anyway even the C-17's would sit all loaded up and wait for a cool morning to take off out of that god forsaken oven

take it easy, reb.

You are right....especially if there is alot of drifting granular Dust or Sand...still...the C-5A and B are the Big time movers of equipment to any country....like Saudi Arabia....with decent runways...the C-17's were designed as a replacement for the C-130 Hercules but the C-130's are still a great plane and I have been on a SPOOKY AND A SPECTRE.

Nothing scares the S#!% out of a dug in enemy more so than one of these.

The Current B-52H's that will be in service till...get this...2037!....scare any enemy to DEATH. You get a formation of B-52H's equiped with Modified Standard 500 or 750 lbs gravity drop bombs that air burst over target via GPS and then send THOUSANDS of SMART BOMBLETS...NOT CLUSTER BOMBS that some kid could pick up if it did not explode and get killed playing with it...as these new Bomblets beome innert if not exploded....anyways...either 80-500lbs advanced gravity drop airburst smart bomblet strikers or 40 750lbs of the same as well as being able to carry another 24...500 or 750 lbs smart airburst Gravity bomblets carried on external racks...with these B-52H's flying at Super High Altitudes....too high to be shot down....and in CARPET BOMBING FORMATION using the airburst Bomblets that are smart enough to detect enemy Equipment, Tanks, Men to an extent that they will actually send a certain quantity directly at a larger or more shielded target....is the way the U.S. Wiped out an entire REPUBLICAN GUARD DIVISION specifically targeted for their KNOWN ATTROCITIES. No one in that division survived the B-52H's attack...nor did they even know the bombs were on the way.

After that...Iraqi divisions surrendered in mass. The B-2's are used for High Priority Command and Control Targets....so are the B-1's....but the B-52's...the oldest and most lethaly capable Aircraft in History....are still talked about by enemies that were 50 or more miles away when they saw then heard the Devestation. There are only about 90 B-52H's left out of the Hundreds upon Hundreds that were the Mainstay of SAC....but reguardless of USAF activity or the Air National Guard who fly A-10's and F-15A's and B's....as well as C-5A's....you KNOW THE S#!% IS ABOUT TO HIT THE FAN when you see B-52's in the Air!

B-52H's are not a type of aircraft that are constantly in the air training as the U.S. conserves the H-Series Airframe to as little flight time as possible since no more will be built. New Bombers will most likely be Stealth and Robotic and with the advent of DIRECT ENERGY WEAPONS like the U.S. Free Electron Laser...as well as Huge advancements in Solid Fuel Long Burning and power...as is the case of the Modified SM-3 which went from a USN Carrier Defense Missle against Jet Aircraft and Cruise Missles as well as other Anti-Ship Missles....to a Fully Capable ABM as well as bein a satellite Killer...and this is a Missle the U.S. and Canada posses in the Tens of thousands....I am sure our adversaries will also be working on similar systems that will make the B-52H a thing of the past....BUT NOT UNTIL 2037! And until then...i would not want to be a Soldier on the Ground that was an ADVERSARY of the United States....as a 7 to 15 in number B-52H Wing was about to Carpet bomb with advanced Weapons a swath of land Hundreds of miles long and 50 Miles wide.

This is one Hell of a Weapons system and was built right and evolved to continue to work right and will still be doing missions a QUARTER CENTURY AWAY FROM NOW! Now IMAGINE THE WEAPONS SYSTEMS THE U.S. NOW HAS AVAILABLE THAT ARE SECRET?!?! Split Infinity

For the youngsters watching, this is one bad ass bird.

Hey SI I have read some Dale Brown so I am very familiar with the B-52H you speak of
One time in band camp I was a fireman and had NSA friends and heard of a Spectra Mission. The kind that didnt happen and They were never There Kind of Spectra Mission.
SplitInfinity you bring back memories

reply to post by rebellender

REB...I remember being a swinging D!@# back in the day...not that i have lost any of my SWING...I just have to watch out for things like slidding shower doors now! LOL! I sill get asked to go solve problems and at my age it takes ALOT of work outs to keep up with 20 somethings as they fly over terrain as I am Huffing and Puffing. But the good thing is I am "CIVILIAN" and have always been so.

So if they want me to go they have to ask...nicely. But as I have poted before....even though I can say NO because of my age...the two times I did...I wa nervus as Hell and could not sit still for two weeks....until the guy's got back all ALIVE. I felt like I had let them down and now...it is actually EASIER on me if I just go...so I don't say no anymore.

My family tries to talk me out of it as a while back I was SHOT in the chest and thought I was going to die. I made a mistake and saw it coming in SLOW MOTION. If it were not for the Highly Advanced Nylon/Kevlar and something else weave body armour I was wearing...and No F@#%&#@ Metal Plates or Heavy Ceramic Uniform slide ins...too freekin' HEAVY and I have been advocating that what I was wearing should be standard issue...although I KNOW it is expensive as all hell.

My point is that I feel even though I am an OLD MAN by THEIR STANDARDS....they look to me and my experience to get their ASSES HOME SAFE....and after meeting one of my replacements...a REAL LUG NUT with a ...LET'S GO GET US SOME! Attitude....I bitched out the Colonel who replaced me with this Guy....I can DO THIS....remember...I am CIVY! The Big C gave me the Bull S#!% standard Military response....well if you had gone...I woudn't have had to put him on the Job! That Old SOB really knows where my sore spots are! So now I just go...I can relax better this way. LOL! Split Infinity

I have noticed much more transport plane activity to the bases around my area - I've mainly thought it was the drawback from Iraq .. an odd thing I have noticed though is many Chinooks and even an osprey coming in to the local base [as far as I know there are no bases with Chinooks around here]

Charleston AFB here in SC has been more active lately (as in last three weeks or so); not only more C-17s but my husband and I also saw two F-16s (that's what he said they were, I can't tell sh*t from Shinola) landing at the AFB last Sunday. Of course, I have no clue if that was a routine drill, but I've rarely personally seen many jets around here save for pre-Iraq. Of course, it could all be a coincidence.

reply to post by 00nunya00

The U.S. Military has so much equipment prepositioned that it is hard to know from a few planes even alot of planes flying around...whether or not something is going down.

However...if you see a bunch of B-52's flying out in a single direction...this is a pretty good sign something is up as the USAF does not like to fly B-52's unless there is a REAL NEED TO. This is because we only have about 90 B-52H series Bombers left and the USAF want's to keep as little Airtime on the H Series Airframe as possible.

Also...if you are near Whiteman AFB and you see B-2's flying out...the USAF does not like to fly $2 Billion a plane Stealth Bombers around if they don't need to.

DARPA....spent all SORTS of Money on a converted Boing 747 with a Built in Laser coming from a revolving Globe Cone on it's beak. One Laser was for targeting and a second was to shoot down ICBM's but this is no obsolete due to the Breakthrough in the FEL...Free Elecron Laser....which is Nuclear Powered.

Still DARPA hates to be wrong so they are attempting to put one on a 747 anyways....good luck with the weight of a Nuclear Reactor on board! LOL! Split Infinity

Originally posted by concernedcitizen519
I noticed a higher than normal amount of what looked like Military Cargo Planes coming in today. I live on the border of Detroit, but I'm in Canada. We don't usually have these big planes coming in but when they do you can sure hear them coming from a long way's off. I managed to snap a couple shots, if anyone is interested I can post them and maybe someone can help determine what kind of planes they are.

Anyways, just thought I'd share that, could be something, could be nothing. Remain vigilant!

I'm in the UK and i can say the same.

Within the past week i've seen 2 'C-17 Globemaster III's' , several fly-bys of apache-like helicopters usually in groups of 3 or 4, and also several chinook's usually in groups or 2 or 3, also a large black plane (could tell it was military by the sound, not sure what model) just above the clouds.

They all seem to be coming from the direction of RAF Brize Norton in oxfordshire or further north (as to my physical location) and they are always heading south-east. Could just be cargo supplies and such for Afghanistan or w/e but i wouldn't be surprised if it's something to do with Syria.

It seems here at least in the UK, activity is high within the military. Maybe just training... who knows.

reply to post by 00nunya00


Ya we had an exercise here at Shaw last week, just getting ready for an ORI. No biggie, all meat and potatoes around here!

reply to post by InsideYourMind


The RAF Leased 4 C-17's from Boeing as the purchase price was a bit to high for the UK. These are suposedly a stop gap measure till the Pan-European Airbus A400M were to replace them...but the A400M had and still has run into some severe issues and the RAF was very vocal about loosing what they consider the better option...that being the C-17s.

So...those could be RAF C-17's fly about...but I am not 100% sure about that. One thing I do know...if it was me who was flying or being a Load Master since the C-17 needs only a crew or 3....I wouldn't want to give the C-17's back either! LOL! Split Infinity