https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article...ian-planes

Quote:Recon Marines are training for some of the Corps' most challenging tactical jumps by leaping from a civilian skydiving plane.

Unable to use the Corps' KC-130J Super Hercules transport and tanker planes for training because those aircraft are tapped out with forward-deployed operations, the Marines from 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, have entered into a contract with a civilian company to ensure they get the jump time before deploying.

Quote:Marine Forces Command said the shortfall is due to the KC-130J being a “critical enabler for forward deployed Marine Air-Ground Task Force success.”

Aerial refueler transport squadron detachments are currently dedicated to the Special-Purpose MAGTFs assigned to cover European, Africa, and Central commands.

“Global demand signal associated with the ‘new normal’ increases the number of deployed KC-130 detachments, adding pressure to personnel tempo and reducing capacity to support [continental United States] Marine Expeditionary Force requirements,” the command said in a written response to Marine Corps Times.

Quote:The Marine Corps does not expect to return to optimal aviation readiness levels until at least 2020, assuming the service gets necessary funding.

Mission-capable rates for all but one of the Marine Corps' 12 fixed-wing, rotary and tiltrotor airframes have fallen since the end of fiscal 2009, according to data obtained by Marine Corps Times via Freedom of Information Act request.

This is one example where Defense waste happens. Congress and prez cut budget, then the private sector cashes in on the contracts.

Sad to see the boys from 2dRecon train like this. Had the honor to serve with some of them while I was in Iraq.


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(09-21-2016 08:48 PM)UTSAMarineVet09 Wrote:  Sad to see the boys from 2dRecon train like this. Had the honor to serve with some of them while I was in Iraq.


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It's criminal.

It would be like me forcing my crew to train to fight a house fire with a garden hose. Sure it sprays water but the performance level is so much different.