Anyone who has read this blog for a while will know there are two common obsessions, the Mexeflote and K-Max!
As an update to our previous post on the subject of unmanned logistics Lockheed Martin have released a promotional video.
Hat Tip SNAFU
K-Max Update
About the author
Think Defence hopes to get people talking about defence issues, nothing more, nothing less. Please check out the Think Defence Tumblr for news snippets, images and videos; thinkdefence.tumblr.com
More posts by Think Defence
Leave a Comment
Share this article
Digg it!
Add to Delicious!
Share on Facebook!
Share on Reddit!
Stumble it
Add to TechnoratiUpcoming Posts
- A Typhoon Future
- Quick Links
- A Soft Maritime Underbelly
- Mini Missiles and Guided Bombs
- Leafblowers, Talisman and Old Ideas
- A Springer Shaped Waste of £7 Million
- Throw it off the ramp
- Wheels v tracks and a discussion about mobility
- The Future of the British Army – Logistics
- Deception and the Million Pound Missile
Don't miss it - Subscribe by RSS.
12 Comments
It will still cost millions, money that would be better spent on helicopters that can carry troops.
I can see everyone having the same arguments all over again!
don’t be such a bloody spoilsport, still want one :D
Go on then, but if you break it you can’t have another one! :)
Peacekeeping in afghanistan, or anywhere, these are awesome.
Anywhere else?
Fighting forest fires, with a huge bucket underneath!
Do we get forest fires?
Although I think the moors have been up a few times already this year.
I was thinking of a general use/role for the aircraft, not soemthing for the UK forces. French and Greek forces, plus a host of other European countries have a great deal of problems with wildfires. The K-Max could them, but not the UK.
I still agree with Admin on this I really like the unmanned K-MAX as it’s relatively cheap compared to other options and does not risk pilots lives doing mundane resupply flights to FOB’s and the like. Although I would be using them on RFA vessels at sea for VERTREP purposes which should be straight forward and simple as well as cheaper than using scarce manned assets. Maybe we could operate them in some sort of PFI deal so that when the military does not need them they could be used elsewhere.
Dominic your right we do get forest fires but they are usually reasonable small compared to in other nations and really don’t warrant helicopters in most cases to deal with as they are not remote enough. However with climate change who knows they might just be needed for the civvies but I can certainly see the military value in the aircraft hauling supplies around.
having sat on the pan at thesalonika (excuse spelling) I remember it going dark and a mil-26 halo coming overhead after finishing fire-fighting duties, it has achuffing great bucket slung underneath, whether they still use it as it was a few years ago i do not know
subnote I believe mil are upgrading the halo (2x 14,000 engines, better aerodynamics/avionics,composite blades, looking at a lift capacity of 25+ tonnes,) awesome, we have no use for it but hey that’s some tonka toy!!
Paul, re: the upgraded Mi-26. Mil has been in talks with the French armed forces as they have no heavy lift capacity. This included european avionics and equipment as well as certification, I wouldn’t be suprised if this included an engine upgrade. Couldn’t say what became of the project off the top of my head, I’ll have to have a dig around.
hi richard i remember reading about the frwnch as well, i believe the germans wanted in due to the age of their 53′s. I’ve had a quick dig around, the glass cockpit has been in for a couple of years, this drops the crew requirements (one of the factors the french wanted to see) and the engine is the D-127 which seems to be a modded version of the D-27 which is used on the antonov an-70. it’s quoted as being able to lift just under 25,000kgs eek!
i would love us to buy a couple of them, absolutely no tactical reason what so ever just be nice to stand next our cousins from across the pond and says ours is bigger than yours!! (yes i’m childish, but i’m not in charge so it’s ok)
I like the statistic, ‘Payload and cargo hold size similar to the C-130 Hercules’, that is a truly remarkable statistic for a helicopter!
Are the French still actively looking at the Mi26? Given the amount of work needed to get it combat ready, it would be quicker and easier for the French just to buy a load of CH-47F’s. They’re cheap enough, combat proven, readily available and common amongst NATO forces. Not the best option in the long-term, but given that France has no heavy lift capability (unless you want to count the ancient Super Frelon), its not as though they’d be missing out on any capability.
But hey, who am I to take away anyone’s Tonka toys? :)