Quote:
Originally Posted by Icelander
In case there is no more practical way to get this sort of range combined with this sort of cruising speed; are C-130 aircraft available at prices more reasonable than four times or more the cost of a former Soviet aircraft of a similar role?
Or, if not, is the C-130 so much more capable, reliable and/or otherwise suitable that it's worth buying it even for many times the price of the rough Soviet equivalent?
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I really don't know. After the Soviet Union falls An-12s are going to be dirt cheap, just like all the other ex-Soviet kit. Their downside is the high maintenance hours and higher fuel costs. OTOH, they don't require as skilled workers as US kit usually does.
Another option, and they were in use in the area as civilian passenger aircraft until the 70s, is civilianised versions of the Short Sunderland. Big, long range, huge endurance. Without all the military hardware (guns, turrets, bomb racks, etc.) and the normal flight crew of 'only' five they should have plenty of capacity for 10-15 guys and their kit. They'd want a collapsible/inflatable dingy for wilderness craft to shore work, given the size of a Sunderland, to make things a bit easier, but again - plenty of room for that.
EDIT: And now that I re-read your post, I see that you mention this option.