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Just finished a good article in this weeks (12 June 2006) Air Force Times on the upgrades being done on the Hog to make it a "C" model. They talk about HOTAS, LITENING II, SADL, and other upgrades including the wing mod and engine mod (which I heard this morning was cancelled???) According to the article, the 175th will be the first unit to get the "C" model and the 23rd will be the first active duty unit to get them in early 2007. All in all, an informative article. I checked the AF Times website (www.airforcetimes.com) but this weeks issue has not been posted yet. (It's there now)
There is also an article on the top 6 names for the F-35 but I will post to that topic separately.

"Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget, in time, that men have died to win them."
Franklin Deleano Roosevelt


Edited by - engineguy on Jun 06 2006 09:44

How can I read that article? I click on the picture left (the front page of the magazine) and than I will read the cover story and I see "for subcribers only". Is that because it is not posted?

Salute Dutchy
------------------------
Termites do it in the dark!
(47FS Barksdale afb)

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Looks that way Dutchy. When I started this post they did not have this weeks paper posted to the web site. Since I work for the Government, I get a hard copy. Try to subscribe then you can read it.

"Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget, in time, that men have died to win them."
Franklin Deleano Roosevelt

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
<b>...and other upgrades including the wing mod </b>and engine mod which I heard this morning was cancelled???.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

The wing is not a mod or upgrade but a life extension program, without it the A-10 doesn't fly much longer. I see a smaller A-10"C" fleet (than A-10A) in the future. <img src=newicons/smiley_salute.gif border=0 align=middle>

Visit my A-10 website at
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Thanks for the correction Joe. Have you heard anything on the engine upgrade being cancelled? I had a voicemail from an engine troop from Willow Grove this morning telling me that it was cancelled.

"Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget, in time, that men have died to win them."
Franklin Deleano Roosevelt

Picked it up on base yesterday, it is a good read.

Cheers! M2

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Thanks for the correction Joe. Have you heard anything on the engine upgrade being cancelled? I had a voicemail from an engine troop from Willow Grove this morning telling me that it was cancelled.

<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Only through the rumor-mill, nothing I would post here. The engine upgrade was always an unfunded program (when I left) and that could have changed but, if not, it wasn't axed it was just never funded.

I'll have to pick-up the paper on my way to work today and give it a read.

Visit my A-10 website at
http://www.warthogpen.com

As it stands today, all 356 A-10s will be modified to A-10C (PE mod) and kept in service for the foreseeable future...at least until 2015. Then the force structure will begin to shrink as the JSF comes on line and some will be retired.

The engine program is ranked 4th of four areas of concern in the A-10 program...very little chance to scrounge over $2B for a program that is at best a marginal improvement. I say it is a non-starter.

The wing program is just as Dice said, critical to keep the fleet alive. About 210 aircraft will get new wings between now and 2013.

Of course, this could all change tomorrow.

Coach

I just read the article this morning and was very dissapointed on it. Why would they go to Pope AFB to talk to the crews and Maintenance folks there? Does Pope even have any jets PE moded yet? Not as far as I know. How could they have any input on the improvements? If you want the real opinions and reaction from the crews and maintainers they need to ask the people who have been working on the systems for over a year, like the guys at Nellis and Eglin.

There were imputs from a MSgt Van Hess who has been out here at Nellis several times working with us hand in hand on our C-models so kudos to him. But the TSgt at Pope? I never heard of her, and myself and quite a few co-workers went through several dozens of meetings in the design and implamentaion of this upgrade. I guess I am just venting because of all the ASS PAINS we had to go through out here at Nellis and how much work the guys put in to understand what these avionics packages are meant to do and understand how to fix them. Then have someone who has maybe seen some pictures of the new system put in their 2 cents on what they think of the upgrades. So glad they found a Maintenance expert at Pope to help the rest of us understand....I can't wait for the rest of the maintainers to get these jets. Wire maintenance is going to drive them CRAZY!!!

Oh well, I vented enough....you all have a great day!!!!

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>Why would they go to Pope AFB to talk to the crews and Maintenance folks there? <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
The teeth man, the teeth.
I agree though, the article could have been better. Nice to see the A-10 on the front page though.

Assault is a type of behavior, not a type of rifle.

Chilli -
When I saw the article, I thought the same thing. Having spent some time with you guys over the last several months, I feel your pain! Just so you know, during the interview, I asked the guy if he was going to talk to you guys or the guys at Eglin and he was very non-committal. Where he got the idea to go to Pope is beyond me. I'm hearing good things about you guys, so keep up the good work and don't let it beat you up.

Van

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\"There is no right way to do the wrong thing\"

Chili, there is no "I" in TEAM, but there is in WIN...just be satisfied with your work and what you bring to the fight. It is all good. Keep it up, it will pay off to our nation for years to come.

Coach

They have started doing the PE mod in the same hangar I work in so I get to see the Hawg every day. <img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle> One just rolled in from "PA" with door art I don't have....will have to take the camera up and get a shot of it soon.

Visit my A-10 website at
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I agree with chili that thee needed to be some input from people who are working the systems. I felt indifferent about the article. It was nice to see the Hog on the front page, but the article could have been written better. It was a good list of mods, but nothing on how it will impact us as maintainers. And not one curse word? They couldn't have talked to crew chiefs.

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Work Hard, give of yourself and you shall reap the benefits.

\"FEAR THE HOG!!\"

LMAO Bunk!!!!!

Good to see your name finally showing up here...BTW you are a celebrity here for all the F-16 taggings you did while over in Korea.

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>Chili, there is no "I" in TEAM, but there is in WIN...just be satisfied with your work and what you bring to the fight. It is all good. Keep it up, it will pay off to our nation for years to come. <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

I know there is no I in team and I wasn't looking for glorification for myself or my guys over here, I was just trying to say that too often people are giving answers and opinions on things they know nothing about.

If you want to write an article on McDonalds Fries you don't go and ask a Burger King Employee what he thinks of McDonalds new Fry Cooker. The same thing applied to this article.

I like the guys over in Pope...I am sure they go through a ton of crap over there just like we do. We Are All One Team and will always be!!!! Just go to the right people to get the real answers.

Stay Awesome Bunk!!!!!!



Edited by - chili_kerch on Jun 12 2006 15:04

I fell your pain Chili! <img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle>

Visit my A-10 website at
http://www.warthogpen.com