Tag Archives: grumman

Technology

Do you know how to maintain the UH-60? 1st ‘V’ variant arrives in NATO-Germany!

Video

02 July 2023 (12:40-UTC-07 Tango 06) 11 Tir 1402/13 Dhu l-Hijja 1444/15 Ji-Wei 4721/02 июль 2023 года

U.S. Army photo by Samantha Treadway, 01JAN2023.

Every year, units from the Regular Army (active duty U.S. Army [USA]), Army Reserve, and National Guard, spend time on the Corpus Christi Army Depot in Texas, learning the latest in rotary wing aircraft maintenance.  This year, they are learning about the new ‘V’ variant of the old UH-60 Black Hawk, even though the ‘V’ upgrade program suffered setbacks.

The first UH-60V delivered to a U.S. unit overseas, on Wiesbaden Airfield, NATO-Germany, 04JUN2023. USA photo by Staff Sergeant Todd Strobel.

Despite the setbacks, by June 2023, upgraded UH-60Vs began to be deployed to bases in the European Union.  Northrop Grumman states that the ‘V’ upgrade replaces the old UH-60L cockpit “with a fully open, digital and integrated avionics suite”.

Kentucky Army National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Daniel S. Cooper gives the official explanation of why Ecuador currently has UH-60 Black Hawk maintenance crews in Kentucky. There is no mention of the recent Black Hawk crashes. Video interview by Sergeant First Class Benjamin Crane, 29JUN2023:

Video (by Sergeant First Class Benjamin Crane) of Ecuadorian UH-60 Black Hawk maintenance crews’ visit to Kentucky, 29JUN2023:

Some UH-60 (and other rotary wing aircraft) maintenance is performed at the Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site, on Muir Army Airfield in Pennsylvania. Video by Erik Sandbakken, 05JUN2023:

JapanTimes, May 2023: Engine Problems Linked to Fatal Black Hawk Crash.

Georgia Army National Guard HH-60M gets a 40-hour preventive maintenance check on Inezgane Airfield, Morocco, during African Lion 2023. Photo by Sergeant Cameron Boyd, 31MAY2023.

The Defense Post, May 2023: The U.S. Army grounded all pilots not involved in critical missions until they complete required training, after four helicopters crashes.

‘Pumped’ UH-60 helicopter repairers with the Connecticut Army National Guard, tear into a hydraulic pilot assist module during a maintenance competition at the 1109th Theater Aviation Support Maintenance Group, Groton, Connecticut, 21APR2023. Photo by Sergeant Matthew Lucibello.

GAO (Government Accountability Office), April 2023: “Army and Air National Guard reported 298 helicopter accidents during non-combat flight operations from fiscal years 2012 through 2021…  …their respective flight safety training programs can be improved.”

Army Times, April 2023: Army investigators confirm collision led to double Black Hawk crash.

Military.com, April 2023: Renewed Scrutiny of Black Hawk Safety Record.

In March 2023, during wargame Cobra Gold, the Washington Army National Guard conducted joint UH-60 maintenance with the Royal Thai Army, in the Kingdom of Thailand.

Associated Press, February 2023: Black Hawk pilots killed in Alabama crash were experienced.

This is the Arizona Army National Guard’s Western Arizona Army National Guard Aviation Training Site, where they teach how to repair the UH-60L/M Black Hawk. Photo by Sergeant First Class Brian A. Barbour, 24FEB2023.

In 2022, using the ‘Pland-emic supply shortages’ as an excuse, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) began something called ‘additive manufacturing’.  Additive manufacturing is an industry phrase referring to the use of 3D printing to create your own parts. This December 2022 DLA video report (by Nutan Chada) is about creating 3D printed fuel elbows for the UH-60:

Assigned to the Texas Army National Guard on Camp Buehring, Kuwait, a Black Hawk maintainer from New York torques a nut on the pitch control rod of a UH-60M. Photo by Specialist Jason Lo, 06SEP2022.

Reuters, September 2022: Afghan government blames technical problem for fatal crash of U.S. made Black Hawk.

Bangkok Post, July 2022: Engine problems blamed for Royal Thai Army Black Hawk crash.

Gulf News, July 2022: 14 people dead after Mexican Navy Black Hawk crashes into airport.

The Salt Lake Tribune, February 2022: Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed during a “training accident” near the Mineral Basin area.

Vehicle I-D, 2022: IDAHO GETS NEW UH-60M

Government Shenanigans, 2020: UH-60 FOR AFGHANISTAN, KILLED-OFF BY THE MIL 17?

2017:  Missouri Army National Guard UH-60L LOOSES WINDSHIELD AT NTC!

Technology

Vehicle I-D: EA-6B Prowler upclose & thirsty

Video

Video, 28th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker refuels Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 2 (VMAQ-2) EA-6B over Iraq, June 2018:

Video, night refueling over Persian Gulf, June 2018:

Video, EA-6B Prowler assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) gets fuel from a KC-130 near Welton, Arizona, 05OCT2017:

Over Iraq, August 2017.

Video, somewhere over The Middle East, KC-10 Extender refuels EA-6B, July 2016:

Off the coast of North Carolina, refueled by KC-130J Super Hercules, September 2015.

Gulf of Alaska, June 2015.

U.S. Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler refueling over Afghanistan, 30DEC2014.

September 2011, Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 139 EA-6B gets fuel from Strike Fighter Squadron 154 F/A-18E Super Hornet.

Video, refueling over Afghanistan, May 2011:

Somewhere over The Middle East, May 2011.

Video, refueling over Iraq, May 2011:

Over Afghanistan, March 2011.

Being refueled by F/A-18E Super Hornet over Austria, March 2009.

Refueled by S-3B Viking off the coast of Japan, March 2008.

Refueling over Kyrgyzstan, March 2006.

Vehicle I-D: KC-130J REFUELS MV-22B IN FLIGHT, COOL VID!

Vehicle I-D:  AERIAL REFUEL USMC CH-53 STUD

Pandemic Overflight: KC-135

Kit Bashing, Technology

Vehicle I-D: Cold War and beyond, C-2A to C-2A(R) Greyhound, now ‘On Final’! Can you get a kit of it?

Video

Nice, Italy, 1970. Photo via U.S. Navy’s VR-24.

The Grumman C-2A Greyhound has been around for a long time, joining the U.S. Navy in 1966 (production started in 1965).

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, October 1990. USN photo by Don S. Montgomery.

Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, February 2005. USN photo by Photographer’s Mate Justin Blake.

It was developed from the E-2 Hawkeye early warning aircraft, and eventually replaced the older C-1 Trader.

C-1A Trader, Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia, August 1983. USN photo by Journalist Senior Chief Petty Officer Kirby Harrison.

C-2 Greyhound somewhere over the Indian Ocean, Summer of 1980. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate First Class David Maclean.

Somewhere over the Mediterranean Sea, Summer 1988. USN photo by Commander Leenhouts.

C-2A over Naval Air Station Norfolk, September 1989. USN photo by Photographer’s Mate Third Class Stephen L. Batiz.

Seven little Greyhounds over Naval Base San Diego, California, August 1990. USN photo by Photographer’s Mate Second Class Patrick Muscutt.

News media board a C-2A Greyhound, during Operation Desert Shield, August 1990. USN photo by Journalist Petty Officer Second Class Bartlett.

Hurghada, Egypt, a Greyhound being loaded with supplies for an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, post Operation Desert Storm. USN photo by Photographer’s Mate Second Class Savage, May/April 1991.

Official USN website history of the C-2A Greyhound: C-2A Greyhound Logistics Aircraft

Operation Enduring Freedom logo painted on the underside of the tail-end of a C-2A. Naval Air Station Norfolk, July 2002. USN photo by Photographer’s Mate First Class Shawn P. Eklund.

Naval Air Station Norfolk, July 2002. USN photo by Photographer’s Mate First Class Shawn P. Eklund.

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Jacqueline Diaz, 18MAR2009.

It has gone through many upgrades, the current Greyhounds are known as C-2A(R) and are identifiable by their NP2000 propellers.

U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. USN photo by Petty Officer Third Class Joshua Nistas, 15JAN2010.

USN video,  Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch Systems (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) testing aboard USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78), 17JAN2020:

Another Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch Systems (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) testing aboard USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) video:

Video, Rawhindes of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 conduct their first flight operations from aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), April 2019:

Carrier Onboard Delivery, aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) November 2017:

More Rawhides video from February 2017,  operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69):

Video, Horsemen of Detachment IV of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40, takes off and lands on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) October 2016 (warning, includes slow-mo-video, do not adjust your set):

Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, video of Greyhound prepping for trip to USS George Washington (CVN-73), September 2014:

Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, California, 11DEC2013. USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist Second Class Stacy Atkins Ricks.

On Final: The U.S. Navy has tried several times to replace the Greyhound, but potential replacements failed to measure up, or never materialized. In 2015, the USN stated that it intended to replace the Greyhound with the much more expensive, less load carrying ability, tilt-rotary wing CMV-22B Osprey, possibly starting in 2024.

Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, 19MAR2020. USN photo by Steve Wolff/Paul Lagasse.

On 19MAR2020, C-2A Greyhound Bureau Number (not ‘build number’ as many people/authors incorrectly call it) 162142 took its final flight.

Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, 19MAR2020. USN photo by Erik Hildebrandt/Paul Lagasse.

BuNu 162142 had flown with VX-20 for just short of 30 years.

Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, 19MAR2020. USN photo by Erik Hildebrandt/Brittany Dickerson.

BuNu 162142 retired to the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum.

USN photo by Christopher D Nette, 18AUG2020.

On 17AUG2020, the last C-2A(R) to undergo planned maintenance interval three (PMI-3) arrived on Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW), North Island Naval Air Station, California. PMI-3 for the Greyhound costs just under $4-million: “Other C-2s will induct for the much smaller PMI-1 and 2 events and most likely will also have in-service repairs. Field events for PMI-1 and 2 are scheduled out to Fiscal Year 2022.”-Jorge Gutierrez-Lopez, FRCSW Props IPT program scheduler

28NOV2020, somewhere over the Arabian Sea. USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist Third Class Keenan Daniels.

28NOV2020, somewhere over the Arabian Sea. USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist Third Class Keenan Daniels.

In 1:72 scale; I-D Models made a vacform kit in the mid-1970s.  Falcon began issuing a Triple conversion set in the 1990s that included a C-2A fuselage for the Fujimi or Hasegawa E-2 Hawkey.  Resin kit maker RVHP Models currently has an outrageously expensive full-kit (you can buy a couple of the 1:48 Kinetic kits for one RVHP kit).

Trumpeter offers a detailed 1:350 scale kit for your aircraft carrier.

Fox One Design Studio offers 1:144 scale versions.

In 1:48 scale the rare resin Collect Aire kit comes with four blade prop, while Kinetic’s more affordable plastic kits come with either four or eight blade props.

VEHICLE I-D: USN GOSHAWK T-45

Idaho, Technology

Pocatello Airport 02 August 2014: Grumman S2F Tracker

Image

Who knew that this free airshow would also be the last for Idaho’s Pocatello Airport?

Click pics to make bigger, photos by AAron B. Hutchins:

Pocatello Airport: MIG-15 UTI & MIG-17

Business/Economics, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. Postal Service to cut operating hours, by as much as six hours per day! Northrop Grumman sues!

May 9, 2012, Postmaster General, Patrick Donahoe, is trying to alleviate concerns over the possible closing of 3,700 post offices, which were to begin in May.  Now the USPS will try to keep as many open as possible, by drastically reducing their operating hours.

The reduction of operating hours would also take place in post offices that are not slated for closing, as many as 13,000 post offices could see hours reduced by two to six per day.

The other option is the creation of Village Post Offices, which would replace the standard post office.  The Village Post Office would operate through a retail business such as WalMart, Walgreens, etc.

Of course Congress has to approve the new plans.

The USPS is also considering letting go any employee who is not protected by labor contracts, and they’re going to do another round of early retirement buyouts.

The Postal Service, which makes its money off the services they provide, not taxes, is facing an $11 billion USD future retirement pre-payment later in the year, as well as health payments.  There are some people who say the U.S. Treasury is actually using the money for other things.

In September 2011, National Association of Letter Carriers president, Fredric Rolando, said most of the blame is on Congress: “I’m here to tell you that the Postal Service is not broke. The Postal Service just needs access to its own money. And Congress needs to get busy and give them that access.”-PBS Newshour interview

He also pointed out that the USPS does not make its money from taxes: “The Postal Service actually has somewhere between $50 billion and $125 billion in their other funds that is not taxpayer money. They haven’t used a dime of taxpayer money in over 30 years! And the Congress just needs to act responsibly and quickly to give them access to that — those funds.”

Postmaster General, Patrick Donahoe agreed: “Fred is exactly right around the issues that we have faced in the last few years. In that same time, we have been required [by Congress] to prepay employee retirement funding.”-PBS Newshour interview

Congress has made concessions, by releasing some Postal Service money, but requiring that the money be used only to reduce the number employees with early retirement buyouts!

The latest Senate bill would allow the USPS to use taxpayer money for the first time in 30 years.  The Senate bailout bill would give the Postal Service $34 billion in tax revenue.

To make matters worse, Northrop Grumman (the third largest USPS contractor) and the USPS are suing each other!

The dispute involves a 2007 automated mail processing contract.  Northrop Grumman says the USPS owes them $180 million USD.  The Postal Service says Northrop owes them $341 million!

They both claim the other failed to meet numerous contractual agreements.

 

 

 

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. Postal Service cuts officially (almost) done deal, will “move forward” with austerity measures, Merry Xmas!

As promised, the U.S. Postal Service made its dreaded announcement on December 5.  The USPS filed a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to “move forward” with austerity measures that will not only cut back service, but eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs.

“We’re in a deep financial crisis today because we have a business model that’s tied to the past [ie Congress]. We are expected to operate like a business, but don’t have the flexibility to do so [because of rules created by Congress]. Our business model is fundamentally inflexible [no thanks to Congress]. It prevents the postal service from solving its problems.”-Patrick Donahoe, U.S. Postmaster General, November 2011

The plan, supported by the Obama Administration, calls for cutting U.S.$20 billion from operating costs by 2015.  That means closing 252 processing facilities, closing 3,700 post offices, and eliminating 100,000 jobs!!!

The processing centers will be closed by spring 2012.  Job losses just from the closing of processing centers could hit 28,000! Expect delays in getting your mail.

This after the U.S. Congress decided to ‘delay’ any action on their part until after next year’s Presidential elections.  The move guarantees the demise of the USPS, because President Barack Obama set the default date for the Postal Service as December 16, 2010.

In a PBS interview, both the Postmaster General, and the President of the Letter Carrier’s Union said it wasn’t really about lack of business, in fact the Postmaster General said package volume was still good.  It was all about the U.S. Congress ripping off the non-taxpayer funded Postal Service: “The Postal Service actually has somewhere between $50 billion and $125 billion in their other funds that is not taxpayer money. They haven’t used a dime of taxpayer money in over 30 years! And the Congress just needs to act responsibly and quickly to give them access to that — those funds.”- Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers

Rolando pointed out that the job losses will go beyond the USPS. It will affect all the companies the USPS contracts with, like FedEx, Siemens, Northrop-Grumman, Pat Salmon & Sons and Campbell-Ewald, to name a few.

Rolando, in the PBS interview, predicted that millions of jobs will eventually be lost because of what’s happening to the USPS!

Merry Xmas Mr. Scrooge, and God bless us, everyone!