Non American Aircraft in our Arsenal?

I was wondering what other countries aircraft we have in our Arsenal other then American made? Whether it be combat aircraft, transports, or helo's, I would like to know. Do we have our hands on some Russian made stuff or French, or do we have them for testing. LMK. Thanks guys.

reply to post by lspilot6946


The British built Bae Hawk trainer is in the US inventory,and of course the Harrier whic h is being phased out now,there's the British built Short Skyvan which was in US service as a short range air lifter.

i'd imagine that they have pretty much all current aircraft in use by nato available for training purposes so that if pilots are required to use other countries equipment they don't need to spend days getting to know the new plane once they get to the operational zone

I do know that the U.S. buys or otherwise acquires foreign aircraft, especially military models, to reverse engineer and test the capabilities of. I've seen a couple while serving in the Air Force, especially out west and at Wright-Patterson AFB.

reply to post by lspilot6946


I know ive seen several Russian Mig-29 Fulcrums that are owned by civilians and some they keep in Nevada as "aggressors" for training purposes. Im sure several older MIGs and Sukhois are around in a hangar somewhere tucked away in a corner of an AFB, most being from defecting pilots, some purchased. I used to know i guy who bought a Mi-24 "Hind" and had it retrofitted for luxury transportation, and there are several French type helicopters used in the police sectors across the US.

reply to post by lspilot6946
I saw what I believe were MiG 29s taking off from Holloman Air Force Base on the edge of the White Sands range early last year. There were at least 3 Mig 29s in the parade that took off, and none of the others were ones I recognized from American inventory. I was directly beneath the end of the runway for one of them (The highway runs along the outer fence of the base and at least one runway points right at the fence) and got an outstanding look.

I'd just assumed at the time that they were flying off to play Red Team for an exercise someone had going over N.M. or elsewhere. That still sounds like a decent assumption, but I'm sure there is a fascinating story behind each aircraft I saw and how it wound up taking off from an American air base.

MiGs and Sukhois etc are used in small numbers for testing and combat training etc, but aircraft bought legitimately by the USA from overseas for service use include the Hawk, Harrier and Shorts 330 Sherpa (not Skyvan) from the UK (and the aborted purchase of the EH101) and the Alenia C-27J Spartan (formerly known as the Fiat G222) from Italy, the current T-6 Texan is also a US version of the Swiss Pilatus PC-9.

Going further back the USA also bought and operated the Slingsby Firefly light trainer until recently and even further back you have the English Electric Canberra (B-57) and of course the DH Mosquito, Bristol Beaufighter and Supermarine Spitfire were operated by the US in WW2

The first US imports included the British DH4 and SE5a and French Spad XIII and Nieuport 28 during WW1

Originally posted by waynos
Shorts 330 Sherpa (not Skyvan) from the UK /quote]





The Short 330 Sherpa(C23A in US service) is the cargo/transport version of the skyvan.

edit on 18-9-2011 by nake13 because: -

Originally posted by nake13

Originally posted by waynos
Shorts 330 Sherpa (not Skyvan) from the UK /quote]

The Short 330 Sherpa(C23A in US service) is the cargo/transport version of the skyvan.

No, the Skyvan was the earlier 20 passenger transport developed by Shorts from an original prototype from Miles called the Aerovan, and was produced from The mid 60's onward. The Shorts 330 was a redesigned and larger aircraft designed to seat 30 passengers first flown in 1974 and the Sherpa was the military version of this which the US designated the C-23A. This was later redesigned and enlarged again around 1984 to seat 36 passengers and this final model was the 360. Three different models, the US bought the middle one.

While naturally very similar, the Sherpa and Skyvan are different aircraft. Here theybare for comparison, the 360 btw had a single swept fin and no rear door, meaning it looked more different.

edit on 18-9-2011 by waynos because: (no reason given)

Army Aviation has a few Hinds and Hips for aggressor training..

UH-72 is also in the regular inventory now.
Q-2 and Q-5 are Israeli drones used by the army.
Q-10 is also a foreign design.


The Air Force has a couple of Dash 8's in Florida for range surveillance.

Coast Guard operates several foreign designs -- both rotary- and fixed wing types:
MH-65's, HU-25, HC-144, and VC-143.


That's all I can think of that weren't mentioned already.

Fiat parts are used on most military helicopters that imploy the GE T-700 Engine.

reply to post by waynos


Zweibrücken AB was the hub for the C-23As in USAFE when I was stationed there in the mid-80's.

They do keep some foreign aircraft in preservation at the AMARC facility. They include several:
- Mig-15 (Russia)
- Mig-17 (Russia)
- Mig-21 (Russia)
- Panavia Tornado (Germany)
- CP-140 (Canada)
- CT-49 (Canada)
- C-130H (Norway)

Otherwise, the US Military also has:
- Sukhoi Su-27 (Russia)
- Mikoyan Mig-29 (Russia)
- Mil Mi-8 Hip (Russia)
- Mil Mi-24 Hind (Russia)
- Antonov An-26 (Russia)

The Sukhoi Su-27, Mil Mi-8 and Mil Mi-24 are used for adversary training. The Mil Mi-8 is also used for pilot training.

The Mig-29 is not used by the military. It was purchased for evaluation purposes. There are, however, some privately owned Mig-29s that are contracted to the Navy for adversary training.

Originally posted by _Del_
...
UH-72 is also in the regular inventory now.
...

Funny that this has been mentioned once, seeing as the UH-72A purchase is the biggest foreign purchase in decades, both by volume and worth.

I had this list from a previous discussion on the topic, so it may cover some aircraft already mentioned...

C-27J Spartan
Diamond T-52
Pilatus U-28
de Havilland Canada UV-18
C-23 Sherpa
EO-5
C-31 Troopship
TH-67 Creek
UH-72 Lakota
DHC-6 Twin Otter
C-143A Challenger
HC-144 Ocean Sentry
HU-25 Guardian
HH-65 Dolphin
AV-8B Harrier II
T-45 Goshawk
RQ-5 Hunter
CQ-10 Snowgoose

Although I cannot list a printed source. I do know for a fact that Flying Leopards (JH7) are on hand for you the USAF although I hesitate to use the word "arsenal". Saw them with my own eyes during an exercise in the mid-pacific. Caught a lot of people offguard and drew quite a bit of "thats cool" attention.

Modernized GERMAN crafts.. *HAUENEBU MAYBE

The Short Bros Skyvan is not just a version of the 330/360, they are different aircraft. Yeah the 330 was developed from the Skyvan, but it is a different airframe altogether.

I actually have a type rating on the Shorts SD3 series

Also the Dauphin helicopters for the Coast Guard. I see them regularly flying over the San Francisco Bay.

From what I understand the U.S acquired manny of it's Mig aircraft more or less legally. We bought them. Wave enough money or a fabulous looking gal (or guy in some cases) and it's a deal. Don't laugh. It's called commerce. Thats how the Russians got their hands on our F-14's, not just complete planes, but also operations manuals, spare parts, the whole ball of wax. When President Carter was stupid enough to give our finest fleet-interceptor to Iran (I don't blame him for not having a crystal ball, just being dangerously naive about the world, vi-sie-vi-iran at the time.) Were still living with that debacle. As is everyone else.

If the Russians, the Chinese, British or anyone else comes up with a new capability, when such new abilities are used by politicians and those who don't understand, or give a damn, about the hundreds of billions of dollars it cost's to do all this, and sell it to a tin horn dictator, (or simple crook) who's only out for a buck. then I assure you, us Americans can just shovel so much money at you, and if you don't take the money? Then it's your wife you should really worry about, who will kill you, if our offer you chose to refuse. Oh yes, the U.S. got many aircraft from other nations over the years. No doubt others got our stuff perhaps the same way. Now you know why I'm not a "politician".

Sometimes it's a complete misread of the other side (I hope that's all it was) Take British Prime Minister Attlee in the post WW2 1940's. He gave the most advanced jet engine of the time to the Russians, the Nene. It was copied, and put in the MiG-15 and killed Americans, both in B-29's and a number in F-86's. It was the finest early jet engine of the age. It was the very reason Kelly Johnson of Lockheed Skunkworks designed the F-104 Star Fighter. But please excuse, I am in the middle of preparing my lecture for the University tomorrow on the early advantages of British airplane power-plants circa 1938-1950/1951 (consider the Spitfire Merlin engine as well) and the advantage's of some 1940's/1950's American aerodynamic designs. (Remember the P-51? No? Do some home work... ) If I ever finnish writing my lecture out, I'll ramble further. Perhaps even about commerce....