ARCHER, need to ask operators a serious question.

[cap235629]

I have been approached by a local emergency manager who has some questions about whether or not ARCHER would be beneficial in a certain tasking.  I need to pick someones brain who has actual experience operating the system.  This is for real life mission and before he contacts AFRCC to request the asset he wants to make sure the tool fits the need.  Could someone with this knowledge please contact me ASAP by email or PM as time is of the essence.  Every ARCHER type person who I have been  able to find by searching the previous ARCHER threads is either unavailable or no longer has a number listed in eservices.

Thanks for your help

[Eclipse]

Is there even a functional ARCHER and a G1000 in your area?

[cap235629]

G1000's abound, we have 3 in our wing.  Archer? Texas and Missouri, close enough...

[lordmonar]

Is there even a functional ARCHER and a G1000 in your area?

Do you mean GA-8?

[Eclipse]

Duh, yes GA-8.

Had G1000 on the brain from unrelated conversation.

[SarDragon]

The status and location of the ARCHER units is available on WMIRS.

[SJFedor]

Unless it's a SAR mission, his request needs to go to the NOC, and if appropriate, get routed through 1AF, not AFRCC.

It's a good system in theory, but in application, it's just not all that great, and it's getting kinda outdated pretty quickly. I never was an sensor operator of the system, but I've flown ARCHER profiles quite a few times.

[Woodsy]

I was under the impression ARCHER was dead... 

[cap235629]

I was under the impression ARCHER was dead...

Just received word that there are exactly 2 operational units in the country.  One in PA and one in FL.  Needless to say that answered the 21 million dollar question.  Maybe we can sell all of the useless GA-8's and invest that money in to some 4 wheel drive vehicles for ground teams.......

[lordmonar]

Well...the GA-8's are not useless.

We use one of them to support the Green Flag missions here in NV.  They can still be used for SAR....espcecially SAR training.
They can be used for Mission Transport.

[Woodsy]

I was under the impression ARCHER was dead...

Just received word that there are exactly 2 operational units in the country.  One in PA and one in FL.  Needless to say that answered the 21 million dollar question.  Maybe we can sell all of the useless GA-8's and invest that money in to some 4 wheel drive vehicles for ground teams.......

Florida Wing's ARCHER is NOT operational, and has not been for several years. 

[Huey Driver]

So the Aircraft Status and Support Resources Reporting System is outdated and hasn't been updated? It still reports 7 being mission ready.

[sardak]

Just received word that there are exactly 2 operational units in the country.  One in PA and one in FL.

Interesting. The ARCHER in Colorado was overhauled by NTC this past fall and it worked just fine the last time it was flown, which was after the overhaul. The ground station had been updated earlier in the year.

Mike

[cap235629]

this info came from the NOC

[sardak]

PM sent.

Mike

[Eclipse]

I was under the impression ARCHER was dead...

It essentially is. 

The existing units are being cannibalized for repairs, and if they are still doing operator training it's news to me.
The word was not even mentioned at the last two SAREvals, and even SDIS was just a check box (sat phones
don't work worth a darn most of the time).

We've been looking at using the GA-8s as a platform to get more Scanners and AP's qualed per sortie, but
ARCHER isn't even on the wish list anymore.

Now, say "GIIEP" and you get people's attention...

[Woodsy]

this info came from the NOC

I just called one of wing ES guys, he confirmed the FLWG ARCHER has not worked in 4-5 years. 

[SARDOC]

Well...the GA-8's are not useless.

We use one of them to support the Green Flag missions here in NV.  They can still be used for SAR....espcecially SAR training.
They can be used for Mission Transport.

Absolutely agree...This is being used as a primary Transport Mission Aircraft and if we could get another one we would.   Without the ARCHER system installed it has a lot more room.

[davidsinn]

Well...the GA-8's are not useless.

We use one of them to support the Green Flag missions here in NV.  They can still be used for SAR....espcecially SAR training.
They can be used for Mission Transport.

Absolutely agree...This is being used as a primary Transport Mission Aircraft and if we could get another one we would.   Without the ARCHER system installed it has a lot more room.

The Airvan is actually a good search platform for a visual search. It allows you to get three times or more, the eyeballs in the grid as a Cessna for only 50% more fuel. It's also a great platform for VIP flights. I was scanner on a photo recon sortie that doubled as a PA flight. We had a full aircrew plus two reporters. It saved fuel and gave the reporters a view of a complete sortie.

[SARDOC]

^^^  I knew during Hurricane Sandy a few of them were used to ferry IC Staff and Aircrews from distant locations without having the C172 and C182's leaving mission base.  They were very pleased with the way this was done, to the point where it was suggested to in the AAR that the CAP Consider adding a few more to the fleet.  I can't verify how true that is as it's third hand but I can definitely see the force multiplier aspect of this aircraft.