Aid by force

[dragon]

Hey Mav
Thanks for not treating me like stoopid head. I appreciate your insight and I think you make a heck of a good point.

But...
How about them C-17's in Thunderbird 2 colours! (LOL)

Hey, in the paper today, the aid has started to arrive in Mirrimar. Yea! Hopefully all will end up ok in the end. Hey, I can at least hope can't I ?

Yes, but what would they use for Thunderbird 1 or Thunderbird 3?

[Radish]

As for aircraft colours?

WHITE everytime, with all the weathering that's possible.
I did a UN-tasked Irish Mick-17 Frisky in RED (they'd run out of white!) and it was rumoured that some of the Mick-17s were also a "mixture" of red/white...checks, stripes, dots and mixed paint, ie PINK.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

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[Jeffry Fontaine]

A tracked amphibious vehicle would be developed which could be air-dropped and would be a modular design which could serve various roles; mobile water purification unit, medical, communications, etc.

There is a tracked amphibious all-terrain vehicle currently in production and in use by many nations.  The Hagglunds BV-206 (see attached image) and the many variants based on this design, all of which are light weight, air transportable and amphibious.  The only problem is the small size of the vehicle which limits the cargo carrying capacity to what can be carried in the vehicle or towed behind it.

[dy031101]

A tracked amphibious vehicle would be developed which could be air-dropped and would be a modular design which could serve various roles; mobile water purification unit, medical, communications, etc.

When you mentioned "air-dropped" I couldn't help to think about the Russian-made BMD (I'm not exactly sure how amphibious the series is, though).  Or maybe incorporation of Russian airdrop techniques and technology into the operational doctrine would suffice?

[Jeffry Fontaine]

When you mentioned "air-dropped" I couldn't help to think about the Russian-made BMD (I'm not exactly sure how amphibious the series is, though).  Or maybe incorporation of Russian airdrop techniques and technology into the operational doctrine would suffice?

The BMD series of vehicles is amphibious in addition to being designed for airborne operations. 

The only limitation on the aerial delivery of material and equipment is the load capacity of the aircraft and the weight limitations of the parachutes that are needed to successfully carry the material or equipment from the aircraft and allow it to land safely on the ground.  With that being said almost anything can be delivered by parachute as long as it will fit inside the aircraft and does not exceed the weight limits.  The success of aerial delivery can be even better if LAPES (Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System) or LVADS (Low Velocity Airdrop Delivery System) is used.  LAPES is a method of aerial delivery which required the delivery aircraft to fly at very low altitude (in effect, wheels on or just above the ground) eject the palletized cargo from the rear of the aircraft by means of extraction parachutes which then allow the palletized cargo to decelerate after skidding across the ground for a short distance.  The results of this method of delivery can be quite spectactular when large platforms are used or the load is quite heavy.  This was the preferred method of delivery for the M551 Sheridan in lieu of an actual aerial delivery by parchute since the odds of complete vehicle destruction were less with the LAPES, not to say that mishaps did occur but the success rate was much better and the vehicle was able to drive away after the event. 

LAPES at this link: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/systems/lapes.htm

LVADS at this link: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/systems/500-lvad.htm

For further research on past, current and future aerial delivery methods and air drop systems go to this link: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/systems/airdrop.htm

The attached image depicts an aerial delivery platform that is rigged for LAPES.  The model was built by Paul Stoner. 

[sotoolslinger]

I think Lemonjellos sweet Osprey gunship painted in UN or some other non offensive or high vis colors would be ideal for this. Cargo capacity , airdroppable pallets and the ability to defend itself.

[Maverick]

Whilst I agree that the Osprey would be a good option, an armed variant wouldn't in my opinion.  The cargo bay would be obstructed by the weapons, their associated equipment and ammunition.  Added to that, a 'gunship' type aircraft hasn't really got any self-defence ability, given it's mode of weapon aiming & general design.

A stock cargo hauling V-22 would do the job well though, providing you added some miniguns or Gecals for self defence.  One would of course hope that the aircraft wouldn't need that particular ability thugh.

Regards,

Mav

[pyro-manic]

Yes, but what would they use for Thunderbird 1 or Thunderbird 3?

TB1 has to be a Lightning, surely?

[sotoolslinger]

If I have to explain the joke it's not funny Imagine the gunship showing up with all the weapons and ammo with only enough room for a couple of MRE's as supplies See it's a funny joke. HA HA 

[Maverick]

My apologies Sotool,

I rarely if ever see the humourous side of issues like this, hence my reply.

Regards,

Mav

[Gary]

You know... the whole idea of an International Rescue Force is kind of a great idea. But organized in such a way that the UN wouldn't be involved whatsoever. You could have the the world's countries pay an insurance type premium either in cash or equipment/supplies and a single governing body running the show, free of political interference. How that would come about I simply don't know. But so far I've seen some ships, tracked and wheeled vehicles and we've talked airplanes. I think a big trick here would be to remember that this is a rescue force so expensive defense requirements such as advanced radar jamming avionics would not be needed. Simple off the shelf things kept in reasonable working order.
Perhaps every nation has to put in 1:1000th of their GNP (I don't know) and there are say 5 sorta central locations around the globe. If a country resists humanitarian aid then you call on their military supplier nation to put pressure on them to let the aid flow. If that doesn't work, perhaps simple drones with off the shelf radio gear dropping what they can.

I can imagine older C-130's in bright yellow and red paint and smaller transport planes to ship gear and return injured people for medical treatment. Refit a few older tankers or container ships to be able to handle some Russian made heavy lift choppers in similar paint. Also built in cranes able to off load containers on their own. Some of those honken big hovercraft to move supplies in when a place doesn't have docks. Those tracked doo-dads and big trucks fixed up to carry shipping containers with water purifiers and portable hospitals and such. Again, yellows and reds and off the shelf.

Finally, on every ship, a clone of Chuck Norris to kick some asses if needed. Or a small elite and well equipped defense group to protect the shipments from poop head warlords who might try and steal the lot. Not big, but the point being this, if some bone heads try and do something their big brother, be it China, Russia, the US or where ever, who supplies their weapons and such, they would be held responsable to keep their little brother in line. If the little brother doesn't smarten up, the big brother's insurance rate goes up.

I can't imagine the force needing more than 10,000 staff, and the majority on an on-call basis. Yellow jumpsuits all around. I don't know what the symbol would be that all people would see as rescue. Perhaps no symbol is the biggest symbol of them all.

[dragon]

I can't imagine the force needing more than 10,000 staff, and the majority on an on-call basis. Yellow jumpsuits all around. I don't know what the symbol would be that all people would see as rescue. Perhaps no symbol is the biggest symbol of them all.

Ah good, no spandex.  Then they would really look ridiculous....
Maybe a globe similar to what is shown in the UN flag or like the Stargate SG-1 patches...

[The Rat]

Finally, on every ship, a clone of Chuck Norris to kick some asses if needed.

Chuck Bloody Norrish?! That Nanshy boy? Sean Connery makes Norrish look like a weenie. Connery would kick his arshe around half of Glashgow and drop him in the Clyde. 

[LemonJello]

I think Lemonjellos sweet Osprey gunship painted in UN or some other non offensive or high vis colors would be ideal for this. Cargo capacity , airdroppable pallets and the ability to defend itself.

I'd use the gunship in the "deterrent" role, providing LZ support for the vanilla -22's as they make runs from the ships to shore.  My tilt-rotor escort would provide enroute protection...

Maybe all the aircraft could have those big light/music setups like in Close Encounters of the Third Kind?  Isn't music an international language?  Or is that mathematics?