Using military jets for deportation is an ugly, wasteful sight

Against the background of the flow of news that accompanies a new administration, a brief confrontation between President Trump and Columbia President Gustaso, Peter came and left before most people were able to untangle what happened. The crisis is now solved but one detail struck me as particularly demonstrative: there was a confrontation Spray When the two US Air Force cargo aircraft C-17 Globemaster III, filled with deported, were turned away from Colombian airspace.

C-17 is stunning. Despite the fact that not as smooth as the F-16 battlefield, or as high-tech as B-2 bomber, or as advanced as the fifth generation of F-22 Raptor, he sends a message about unsurpassed American power like no one another. Our soldiers practice jumping out of this plane, which itself is cool. But as a cavalry officer who has a career in and around him, the aircraft ability to deliver tons of equipment and accessories from 70-ton M1 Abrams to disassemble Apache or Blackhawk helicopters, to huge rocket systems and patriot platform defense platform Ammunition, such as artillery missiles and even cruise missiles – straight forward to the areas of any battlefield always struck me and made me grateful for the Air Force, the best fast delivery service in the world.

I have repeatedly watched this beast, delivered extraordinary stocks, and then removed from the dirty stripes that the army engineers just built hours before, or unloaded more trips to the disaster zone. When the Landstuhl hospital in Germany became the point of passing the rear zone during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, I watched these re-configured aircraft as flying that were stabilized and considered ready to make a long flight home.

“C” in c-17 means a load but it makes more than wearing things: it’s sends a message the authorities and the American military spirit. WITH 223 of these hipposAir Force is able to deliver a huge number of things at any point in the world in a short message in adverse conditions.

But this is an expensive plane for the city and works. Boeing 737, Classic Working Grasshopper of Domestic Commercial Flights will have a The price of the sticker from $ 90 to $ 120 million, depending on the model and before discounts for wholesale. Boeing also does the C-17, and depending on the year of production and its constant updates, its cost will be from $ 220 to $ 340 million. Great reason for the difference in price? Sports advanced military avionic, renewable bay, reinforced aircraft, various defense counter-zone systems, as well as the possibility of landing and take-off on a short field/rough runway.

Civil aircraft are built for fuel efficiency during the flight of cruise, often flying at high altitudes over long distances with much lighter passenger load. 737 uses about 6,000 pounds of fuel per hour For two of his jet engines. C-17, designed to conduct a variety of military operations that emphasize a frame that requires to carry extremely heavy and sometimes heavy loads, uses four consumer engines Pratt and Whitney about 20,000 pounds fuel for an hour. The C-17-17 multirol function gives priority of flexibility and productivity in extreme combat conditions, and also leads to more expensive details and more often and intensive care of its crew and supporters compared to civilian airliners, which are optimized for the conversion of passengers and luggage between airports. Military transport, such as C-17 Cryer Efficiency Engines.

So why were these huge military cargo aircraft needed for more demanding missions selected over abundant and available passenger aircraft that are part of Air Fleet of a Civil Reserve For a mission of transportation of relatively small number of passengers to foreign countries? It beats me, though I suspect that there was a desire to send a message using the intimidating force of the Air Force.

Given other news from the new administration in the last few days, a discussion on the selection of aircraft for deportations seems trivial. But the choice of aircraft means other variants that administrations – about the efficiency of the government (or in this case, deliberate inefficiency); about the image he wants to design for Americans, allies and partners; And, perhaps, most often about how he sees and can strive to use the armed forces.

The US military has a reputation and image as the best in the world. For those who serve, this image means that we want to constantly present the professionalism and values ​​of our nation. We want to be known as a powerful force that fulfills our missions with pride, even when we must restrain or intimidate. In my opinion, these missions did not demand military restraint or intimidation through force, but they sent a unhappy message to a valuable partner in Latin America, and they are convinced that they spent a lot of resources.

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