Well, not being entirely knowing in these things but it could be that neither the Navy or Marines operate any of those aircraft (save the -14 which was retired in late 2006)
Could it be that most of the convoy driving is contracted out, or that there's a shortage of pilots as is and the last place they'd be is on a truck convoy, or that driving aircraft is an officers job, whereby driving a truck is more like an enlisted occupation?
This last part confuses me..
You cannot run those boats against current armament.
Those guys are ****ed unless they just pick the fat part of the river.
I thought we were talking about truck convoys not boat patrols.