Posted by FYI (67.126.87.89) on June 20, 2010 at 11:16:58:
Lockheed-Martin/USAF "Smokey" C-130J Power-Point; Key Points:
Wildfires consume millions of acres and billions of dollars each year - Acres burned by wildfires doubled since 1990 to > 7 million acres per year. Costs of fighting fires have tripled from $307 Million in 1990 to ~$1.4 Billion in 2008. Property losses in California from 2008 wildfires ~$1.5 Billion. Nation-wide the estimate $4-5 Billion.
Requirement for next generation air tankers: 2007 USFS Commissioned Independent Air Tanker Study which recommended buying -25 C-130Js for the next generation of Air Tankers.
• Why? - Commercial air tanker fleet has service life, safety and high risk issues. Since 2002 - 7 air tanker crashes and 19 deaths. Commercial ownership - a challenging business case due to large capital investment versus revenue generation.
Why the C-130J?
• Performance:
USFS MAFFS II designed for wildfire mission and replace legacy systems. Better performance and retardant coverage. Up to 3 times the retardant payload of older legacy aircraft.
C-130J flies faster, climbs quicker reducing retardant drop cycle times and increasing the amount gallons dropped. 15% better fuel economy and reduced cost of operations by up to 40% State of the art cockpit will allow safe day and night 24 hour operations.
• Safety:
Significantly better high altitude hot temperature performance (where forest fires are fought) gets C-130J to where retardant is needed with increased safety margins for the crew.
• Service life:
Enhanced Service Life wing will be keep the C-130J available and dedicated to the Air Tanker mission for 25-30 years or more. C-130J Air Tanker pays for itself: Heavy air tankers are most effective during initial attack. A 1/10% improvement in wildfire initial attack phase can save hundreds of millions of firefighting dollars.
Smokey Buvs'em. ANG Flys'em acquisition and operational concept:
• An Enterprise solution where the Air Guard fly's USFS procured C-130Js.
• When not USFS tasked, the C-130Js are available for State, USNORTHCOM / Homeland Security, or DOD, missions...a "Whole Government" approach to tackle the many agencies airlift needs.
Smokey C-130J's what needs to be done?
• First - OMB release 2007 USFS study (FY10 Interior House and Senate language).
• Second - MOU between USFS and ANG / Reserves (HAC-D Language).
• Third - Find the dollars to jump start program in 2010 with 4 C-130Js w/MAFFS II kits.
• Fourth - Direct USDA to Fund Initiative in FY11 and Future Budgets.
NOTE: Lockheed-Martin George Sturgill and Mark Rey gave a power point presentation to the Board of Directors of the Western Inter Mountain Region (WIR) of the National Association of Counties (naco.org) in May 2010.
Suffice it to say this isn't a local VFW meeting. Meaning you or I couldn't just drop by and give a speech. From what I could gather people wondered why Sturgill/Rey were even there giving a presentation like this. Perhaps a trial run? Take the show to Cleveland and work the bugs out before you do Broadway.