The U.S. Air Force is being criticized for accelerating the timeline for retiring its fleet of 11 RC-26 surveillance aircraft. The aircraft, modified versions of the Swearingen Metroliner equipped with electronic surveillance equipment, cost about $30 million per year to operate and the Air Force maintains the mission—mostly domestic border patrol and drug trafficking intervention—can be completed more effectively and inexpensively with unmanned aircraft.
According to reporting on airandspace.com last year, Lt. Gen. Michael Loh, Air National Guard director, said of the RC-26 fleet, “We need to divest that legacy and invest in the future. Stronger tomorrow is where I’m focused.”
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., who serves as an Air National Guard pilot flying RC-26s, told CNN, “Law enforcement lives have been saved by having this asset available. We can see anything weird that’s going to happen.” Kinzinger added, “We’ve been saving it every year, piecemeal.”
The Air Force’s 2022 budget request held no mention of the RC-26. Loh said last year, “Each year, I’m spending millions of dollars to keep a fleet alive that quite frankly has run its useful life, and I need to actually get out of those to get into something new.”
“[The RC-26 is] the one that I focus on primarily, because that’s the one that we exclusively operate in the National Guard.” The twin turboprop, which first flew in 1969, entered Air Force service in 1989, but has been surpassed by other platforms, Loh said.
“We’ve actually had better technologies out there to take care of the mission, so even if I needed to do the mission today, I can [do] it with better technologies that are cheaper to operate.”
Quote [ DOMOPS missions ] can be more effectively and inexpensively with unmanned aircraft unquote.
If I were cynical I would say that statement probably briefs well at the Pentagon but actually represents another staff officer’s triumph of wishful thinking over achievable reality…
Quote [ DOMOPS missions ] can be completed more effectively and inexpensively with unmanned aircraft unquote.
If I were cynical I would say that statement probably briefs well at the Pentagon but actually represents another staff officer’s triumph of wishful thinking over achievable reality…
Exactly, Mr. David G..
Will someone sitting in front of screens on land miles away, pay the same attention as someone looking at screens while flying over the ocean or the desert?
AI might help with alarms if cameras see “unusual” activity, but it will have to be trained for a long time – simple shoplifting AI cameras are still in their infancy after years of research.
Shoplifting cam AI is a bit harder to program. Identification of human over animal movement has been around since the 70s for missile silo protection. (My dad was one of the original senior research scientists and defense computer system programmers for this project)
Yes, people will try to confuse the systems, but they can do the same for humans too. The AI is much better than a human now.
“the mission—mostly domestic border patrol and drug trafficking intervention”… Why is the US Air Force involved here? Why doesn’t DHS, CBP and ICE budget for their own surveillance aircraft? After all, it’s only $30 million dollars; pocket change for DHS.
Haven’t you heard? There’s nothing going on at the border; Biden says so, so it must be true!?
Seriously though, I think that’s the buried lead here. Look at Lt. Gen. Michael Loh’s words: “… so even if I needed to do the mission today, I can [do] it with better technologies that are cheaper to operate.” To me, that sounds like a flag officer trying to put a positive PR spin on cutting the program while not emphasizing the fact that the cut is driven by the mission being eliminated or reduced by policy makers on high.
I suspect the original thinking was that it serves as a twofer (or threefer) for USAF, combining crew training with a “real” mission and additionally as an ongoing real-world systems evaluation.
This mission set is more than Domestic Border Patrol and Drug Trafficking Intervention, although those responsibilities have historically been supported by the RC26. A little known fact is, this capability has been frequently used and in high demand by the Law Enforcement Community throughout the nation in support of the Counterdrug Mission. Thousands of violent offenders, actively involved in the distribution and trafficking of illegal/illicit drugs have been brought to justice with the help of this asset. And in doing so, the criminal justice system has done its part in improving the quality of life of our law abiding, peace loving citizens.
Then comes the “defund” movement…and there goes the asset. The reality is, the majority of State and Local Law Enforcement organizations rely on the partnership with the ANG through their statutorily required domestic operations to support local drug/crime reduction efforts. More reality: They can’t afford it…The RC26 did in fact have a mission, just not the mission Loh and others wanted.
And to say “they can’t afford it”, I’m referring to the Law Enforcement Agencies and the local governments they represent.
Drug introduction has always been a joint project with the military. The top down surveillance was once civilian. It was easily one hundred times more expensive and the systems they used were not nearly as good as the militaries. I pointed this out in the Caribbean and much of it was shifted to the military and new systems were brought into play.
The civilian sector is great for developing systems, but not so good and wildly expensive when it comes to running the operation.
Quote: Loh said last year, “Each year, I’m spending millions of dollars to keep a fleet alive that quite frankly has run its useful life, and I need to actually get out of those to get into something new.”
Reality: Loh never had ANY intention of replacing this airframe. This decision was made at the cabinet level, there is no support for law enforcement in this capacity.
Reality cont’d: This mission set/capability has saved lives, there’s no disputing this. It has saved the lives of the general public, it has saved the lives of the Law Enforcement Officials who have relied so heavily on this capability for so long, it has saved the lives of the SUSPECTS targeted whether they or anyone else is willing to acknowledge it.
This capability offends those at the highest level of our government and they don’t want Law Enforcement to have the help.
Reality Cont’d: There are an abundant number of C-12’s and U-28’s looking for work since coming home from overseas. Not Loh or any other member of the NGB has even attempted to re-purpose these airframes to support the Counterdrug mission. Why you say? Quote: It’s the cop’s problem…
Merry Christmas America! It just got a lot safer for the criminal element!
Let’s continue to spend millions of dollars on fine programs that are not working.
Glad you brought that up. The RC26 Counterdrug Mission has actually been one of the most cost effective “best bang for your buck” aerial surveillance platforms in the country. When one considers the operational cost of a surveillance asset capable of supporting the Counterdrug initiative, these 11 aircraft and their crews have been a mere “tick on the back of the DOD dog” when it comes to cost and the overall DOD budget annually.
The cold reality is, State/Local law enforcement in most metropolitan areas cannot afford a fixed wing asset such as the RC-26. Even as inexpensive as various smaller fixed wing airframes are to operate, they still cost. And, thanks to the “defund” movement and attitude of those who seem to be more concerned with criminals being “picked on” than holding criminals accountable for criminal behavior, law enforcement agencies across the country have had their financial resources slashed/reduced/cannibalized to the bare minimum of being operational. To expect “aviation” to be at the top of the list of priorities is unrealistic.
The Counterdrug mission and the Air National Guard’s role in supporting that initiative, fit nicely into Domestic Operations in support of National Security, and did so in partnership with law enforcement to provide for safer communities. Sadly, this is no longer on the list of things to do for the NGB. But hey, there will be an abundance of analysts assisting in the mission just so the NGB can keep their toe in the water and say they are participating…
Another benefit of the RC-26 program that no one has openly mentioned is, imagine a natural disaster, hurricane, or worse yet an act of terrorism in large scale where any of our communities large or small are affected. Any one of these assets could have been there to provide real time intelligence and support within 2 hours of call-up, and remained there to assist in recovery/search and rescue initiatives…saving lives. The use of this aircraft in the Counterdrug Mission in the mean time has made this asset 85% Mission, 15% training.
As for the rest of the NG, I would venture to bet it is the opposite, 15% Mission, 85% training. As far as readiness goes, mission capability and benefit to our citizens here at home, we have gotten A LOT for our money when it comes to expense.
You won’t see an F-35 flying counterdrug, and I doubt the public would ever support UAV’s providing the same effective services any more than the NGB would allow it.
It all comes down to this: A cabinet level decision to remove a very effective tool from the tool kits of law enforcement agencies across the country which will result in loss of life, civil actions, and risky enforcement work, all of which were minimized when the RC-26 was up and working.