Article

2007-06-02 India-Pakistan

US plans breakthrough $1.1 billion military plane sale to India

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Posted by John Frum 2007-06-02 08:33|| || Front Page|| [7 views ] Top

#1 hmmmm according to this 2005 post, they went from:

In 1994, a single C-130H was fetching $37.4 million. The unit cost of the first C-130J models, announced by the Pentagon in 1996, was nearly double: $66.4 million. By 2003 the price had soared to $81 million. This year, the Air Force estimates the unit price of the planes will drop considerably to about $66.5 million because it plans to buy them in a large multiyear procurement.

A stretch version of the C-130J that is 15 feet longer sells for almost $100 million a copy. The Air Force ordered 40 of those last March (2005).

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2007-06-02 11:03|| 2007-06-02 11:03|| Front Page Top

#2 An Air Force Technology page devoted to the C-130J states that the OEM engines are Allison AE2100D3 turboprops. This order includes four RR Plc spare engines and eight ATK AN/AAR-47 missile warning systems.

Posted by mrp 2007-06-02 11:13|| 2007-06-02 11:13|| Front Page Top

#3 While there has been "A" C-130 since before i was born, I suspect the current production has few or no parts in common with the original. Probably 100% re-tooled, year by year.

Posted by Gary and the Samoyeds">Gary and the Samoyeds 2007-06-02 11:33|| http://home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html]">[http://home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html] 2007-06-02 11:33|| Front Page Top

#4 I seriously doubt a 100% re-tooling per year. I doubt even a 10% ...

Depends on what you mean by re-tooling (re-design and implement new part designs or implement new tooling) - either way there is NO chance of 100% change over year to year.

The purchase cost differences are probably typical accounting per unit cost which fluctuates based on units purchased.

Posted by bombay">bombay 2007-06-02 11:58|| 2007-06-02 11:58|| Front Page Top

#5 Well, they got rid of the flight engineer, and they have 6-bladed composite props instead of the 4-bladed aluminum ones. They now have a stretched version in the -30. We have used the civilian L100-30 for years up here. I have chartered 5 of them in the last year for air freighting into remote locations in western Alaska. Brought in 8-ft diameter water filter vessels. It is a great bird! Now over 53 years old.

Posted by Alaska Paul">Alaska Paul 2007-06-02 12:00|| 2007-06-02 12:00|| Front Page Top

#6 Plus each model letter has meant a big change in avionics : the J models have glass cockpits, GPS along with inertial guidance, low-light rear ramp cameras as an option, computer-controlled fuel systems, fly-by-wire, etc. The latest models have very little in common with older models, other than the general design of the aircraft.

Posted by Shieldwolf 2007-06-02 15:51|| 2007-06-02 15:51|| Front Page Top

#7 That didn't come out right. What I meant was that there was probably a cumulative 100% change over the years.

Posted by Gary and the Samoyeds">Gary and the Samoyeds 2007-06-02 20:35|| http://home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html]">[http://home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html] 2007-06-02 20:35|| Front Page Top

#8 What staggers me is the unit cost of a C-130: set aside the spare engines, missiles, etc and these suckers must run $150 million each. How long has this plane been around?

Jeepers.

Posted by Steve White">Steve White 2007-06-02 10:42|| 2007-06-02 10:42|| Front Page Top

10:43 Steve White
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