FOX saying bad news from NK for POTUS. Appears to be a coordinated strike.
The UC-35 is a commercial Off-the-shelf (COTS) Cessna Citation 560 Ultra V twin engined aircraft. The UC-35A is a medium range executive and priority cago jet aircraft that is the materiel solution for the C-XX (MR) requirement. The UC-35 replaces older and more expensive C-12s and is Global Air Traffic Management (GATM) compliant. The UC-35A can carry up to eight passengers.
The new jets will supplement the current fleet of aging C-12 twin-engine turbo-prop aircraft that have been the mainstay of the Army's passenger fleet. The C-12 aircraft have been in service about 25 years. The UC-35A has similar landing characteristics of a C-12, meaning that it can take off and land at most Army airfields, many of which are in remote areas not served directly by civilian airline services. However, the C-12 only has a maximum speed of about 300 miles per hour, and has less range than the UC-35A. The UC-35A can make a flight to Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, D.C., in about two hours, and can fly to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., in about two-and-a-half hours.
Scheduling of passenger flights for the Army fleet and similar planes in the other military services is coordinated through the Joint Operational Support Airlift Command at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. JOSAC basically receives requests for flights, determines the type of aircraft that is needed, and assigns the specific aircraft to each approved mission.
On March 16, 1998 Cessna Aircraft Co., Wichita, Kan., was awarded a $20,754,035 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for purchase of five aircraft, the UC-35A. Work was performed in Wichita, Kan., and was completed by June 30, 1999.
The FORSCOM Jet Training Detachment (FJTD) and Bravo Company of the 6th Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment increased training to support the Army's UC-35 training program during FY 1999. Bravo Company provided one aircraft, base operations and logistic support for the training program and helped the FJTD fly 670 flight hours and train forty active component, Reserve and National Guard pilots over the year.
The U.S. Army Reserve fielded six UC-35 jet aircraft by the end of FY 98. The 228th Aviation Regiment, based out of Horsham, Pennsylvania with five other Army aviation companies throughout the Eastern United States, consist of pilots whose primary duty is to fly people around the country. They have two types of aircrafts, the C-12 Turbo Prop airplane and the UC-35 jet. These airplanes are used primarily to transport VIPs, but can be used to transport other personnel or cargo.
The Fiscal Year 1999 budget request did not include funds for UC-35A aircraft (formerly known as the C-XX). The Army has a requirement for 35 UC-35A's, and had a total of 17 UC-35 aircraft either on hand or on order as of 1998. The Senate Armed Services Committee noted that there is an approved Mission Needs Statement and Operational Requirements Document to support the program, and that the Army had programmed for the procurement of the aircraft in the Future Years Defense Program. The committee recommended an increase of $15.9 million to procure an additional three UC-35A aircraft in fiscal year 1999. The Department of Defense Appropriations Bill, FY 2001, as reported by the House Committee, added funding for several unrequested items, such as $15 million for two UC-35 medium lift aircraft. The House National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 recommended an increase of $23 million for UC-35 medium lift aircraft. The Senate National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 authorized additional funding for several unrequested items, including $73 million for UC-35 medium lift aircraft.
The fielding of the UC-35 Ultra led to jet aircraft training at the Fixed Wing ARNG Aviation Training Site (FWAATS), Benedum Airport, Bridgeport, WV. Special training for the UC-35A involves two weeks of simulator training and two weeks of training in the aircraft before a highly experienced fixed-wing pilot is rated as qualified on the aircraft.
On August 4, 2000 DynCorp Technical Services, Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $20,710,932 increment as part of a $22,876,533 firm-fixed-price with cost reimbursable line items contract for life cycle contractor support for C-12/XC-12/UC-35 aircraft. Work was performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and was completed by Jan. 31, 2001.
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