Content deleted Content added
Srich32977 (talk | contribs) remove non-RS SPS LINKVIO citation |
Rescuing 0 sources and tagging 1 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5) (Whoop whoop pull up - 20925 |
||
(41 intermediate revisions by 27 users not shown) | |||
Line 1:
{{short description|Special mission military aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. -->
{|{{Infobox aircraft begin
|
}}{{Infobox aircraft type
|
|
|
|
MC-130P: May 15, 2015
|status = active▼
|primary user = [[United States Air Force]]▼
MC-130H: April 2, 2023
|more users =▼
|produced =▼
|number built = MC-130E: 18<ref name="thig461"/> <br />MC-130H: 24<ref name="thig461"/> <br />MC-130P: 28<ref name="Gallery of USAF Weapons">{{cite journal |date=May 2008 |title=Gallery of USAF Weapons|journal=Air Force Magazine|publisher=Air Force Association|page= 145}}.</ref> <br />MC-130W: 12<ref name="tsj">{{cite web |last=Putrich |first=Gayle S. |url=http://www.tsjonline.com/story.php?F=3866026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717111717/http://www.tsjonline.com/story.php?F=3866026 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 July 2011 |title=ARINC Flightsafety on U.S. Air Force Combat Spear Trainer |work=Training & Simulation Journal |access-date=8 March 2009}}</ref><br />MC-130J: 37▼
|unit cost = MC-130E $75 million<ref name="fact"/> <br />MC-130H $155 million<ref name="fact"/> <br />MC-130W $60 million<ref name="stinger2"/> <br />MC-130J $67.3 million<ref name="CombatShadowII"/>▼
|developed from = [[C-130 Hercules]] <br />[[C-130J Super Hercules]]▼
▲|
|variants with their own articles=▼
▲|
}}
|}
The '''Lockheed MC-130''' is the basic designation for a family of special mission aircraft operated by the [[Air Force Special Operations Command|United States Air Force Special Operations Command]] (AFSOC), a wing of the [[Air Education and Training Command]],
The first of the variants, the MC-130E, was developed to support [[clandestine operation|clandestine special operations]] missions during the Vietnam War. Eighteen were created by modifying C-130E transports, and four lost through attrition,{{Citation needed|reason=What does this mean?|date=January 2018}} but the remainder served more than four decades after their initial modification. An update, the MC-130H Combat Talon II, was developed in the 1980s from the C-130H and went into service in the 1990s. Four of the original 24 H-series aircraft have been lost in operations.
Line 43 ⟶ 35:
The Combat Spear was developed in 2006 as an inexpensive version of the Combat Talon II but was reconfigured and designated the [[Lockheed AC-130|AC-130W Stinger II]] in 2012.
The MC-130J, which became operational in 2011, is the new-production variant that is replacing the other special operations MC-130s.<ref name="newmc">[http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2009/December%202009/1209world.aspx "First HC/MC-130J Assembled"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723225943/http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2009/December%202009/1209world.aspx |date=
==MC-130E Combat Talon==
[[File:Lockheed MC-130 USAF flares.jpg|thumb|left|MC-130E Combat Talon dispensing flares]]
[[File:Lockheed Hercules MC-130H Combat Talon II 2.jpg|thumb|MC-130 nose]]
===Development===
The Combat Talon was developed between December 1964 and January 1967 by [[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed Air Services]] (LAS) at [[Ontario, California]], as the result of a study by ''Big Safari'', the USAF's program office that modifies and sustains special mission aircraft. Two highly classified testbed aircraft (originally serial no. ''64-0506'' and ''-0507'', but with all numbers "sanitized" from the aircraft), were assigned to Project ''Thin Slice'' to develop a low-level clandestine penetration aircraft for [[Special Forces]] operations in
[[File:USAF Hercules MC-130E Combat Talon I at RIAT 2010 arp.jpg|thumb|MC-130E Combat Talon I of the <br />[[Air Force Reserve]]'s [[919th Special Operations Wing]] taxis to the runway at [[RIAT]] 2010]]
As the ''Thin Slice'' aircraft were being developed, 14 C-130Es were purchased for SOG in 1965 for similar modification. The first aircraft were production C-130Es without specialized equipment that were produced at Lockheed's facility in [[Marietta, Georgia]]. Three production airplanes per month were given the Fulton STARS (then ARS) system.<ref name="ct20" /> While awaiting the ARS equipment, the C-130s were ferried to [[Greenville,
The [[Fulton surface-to-air recovery system
Following a death on 26 April 1982, at [[CFB Lahr]], Germany,<ref>Thigpen (2001), pp. 261–262, Appendix A, p. 469. The Special Forces soldier suffered a punctured lung and broken hip in the short fall, but died of complications from a [[tracheotomy]] during medical evacuation.</ref> the Fulton STARS system on the Clamp aircraft underwent intense maintenance scrutiny and employment of the system for live pickups was suspended. A major effort at upgrading the system, ''Project 46'',<ref>Thigpen (2001), p. 304. So-called because its objective was to develop a capability of extracting four to six troops in a single pass.</ref> was pursued from 1986 to 1989, but at its conclusion, use of the STARS system for live extractions remained suspended. The Fulton STARS equipment of all Combat Talons was removed during 1998.<ref>Thigpen (2001), p. 38.</ref>
''Rivet Clamp'' installation began with four STARS-equipped C-130s completed by March 1966, followed by installations in eight further aircraft in July 1966 and January 1967.<ref name="ct20"/> The ''Rivet Clamp''s, originally designated C-130E(I)sp,<ref name="ct20"/> were equipped with an [[electronic countermeasures|electronic]] and [[infrared countermeasures|infrared (IR)]] [[countermeasure]]s suite; and the SPR2 later the AN/APQ-115 TF/TA multimode radar. This radar, adapted from the [[Texas Instruments]] AN/APQ-99 radar used in the [[F-4 Phantom II|RF-4C Phantom]] photo reconnaissance aircraft, featured [[terrain-following radar|terrain following/terrain-avoidance (TF/TA)]] and mapping radar modes, to enable it to operate at low altitudes at night and in all weather conditions and avoid known enemy radar and [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] weapons concentrations.<ref name="ct21">Thigpen (2001), p. 21. The 12 original C-130E(I) "Clamps" were ''
Beginning in 1970, Texas Instruments and Lockheed Air Service worked to adapt the existing AN/APQ-122 Adverse Weather Aerial Delivery System (AWADS) with terrain following/terrain avoidance modes to replace the original APQ-115, which suffered throughout its life with an unacceptably adverse mean-time-between-failure (MTBF) rate. In 1970 they succeeded, and coupled the APQ-122 with the [[Litton Industries|Litton]] LN-15J [[Inertial Navigation System]] (INS). Known as MOD-70, the modified radar was installed in all 12 operational Combat Talons and the four ''Heavy Chain'' test beds between
The "Yank" Talons conducted [[top secret]] operations worldwide, under the project name ''Combat Sam'', until late 1972.<ref name="ct20" /> Two of the original "Clamps" were lost in combat in Southeast Asia and were replaced by two C-130Es (64-0571 and
Capability to act as a Forward Area Refueling Point (FARP) for helicopters on the ground was begun in 1980 in preparation for ''[[Operation Eagle Claw]]'' (see below), although only one system could be installed before the mission was executed. The refueling system consists of two palletized 6,800 L (1,800 gal) tanks (known as
A major modification between 1986 and 1994, MOD-90, modernized the capability and serviceability of the Talon I to extend its service life. All 14 Combat Talon Is were equipped with upgraded navigational radars, an enhanced [[electronic warfare]] suite and provided new outer wings.<ref>Thigpen (2001), p. 473, lists all the changes. Other notable major upgrades were engine upgrade to [[Allison T56
===Southeast Asia operations===
The aircraft received for modification as Combat Talons were assigned in July 1965 to the [[464th Troop Carrier Wing]] at [[Pope Air Force Base]], [[North Carolina]]. Because of a lack of ramp space caused by the buildup of forces for deployment to [[South Vietnam]], they were temporarily housed at [[Sewart Air Force Base]], [[Tennessee]]. The wing's [[779th TCS]] was designated as the training squadron for the modified C-130E(I)s, under Project ''Skyhook'', in addition to its normal airlift function. Selected crew members received instructor training in their respective systems and returned to Pope by
[[File:15th Special Operations Squadron.png|thumb|15th Special Operations Squadron]]
The Combat Talon I first saw operational action in the [[Vietnam War]], beginning 1 September
''Combat Spear'' was administratively assigned as '''Detachment 1, 314th Troop Carrier Wing''', but was operationally controlled by MACV-SOG.<ref name="ct7778">Thigpen (2001), pp. 77–78.</ref> On 9 October
On 15 March
By 1970 twelve Combat Talons were operational in three units of four aircraft each:<ref name="ct139">Thigpen (2001), p. 139.</ref>
* [[7th Special Operations Squadron]], [[Ramstein Air Base]],
* 15th Special Operations Squadron, Nha Trang Air Base, South Vietnam; and
* Detachment 2, [[1st Special Operations Wing]], Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, (redesignated 318th SOS in 1971 and 8th SOS in 1974).<ref name="ct67">Thigpen (2001), p. 67. By tradition, the Talon base within the continental United States, because of its training responsibilities, is referred to as "the schoolhouse," a nickname first passed to Hurlburt Field, then to Kirtland Air Force Base when the 550th SOS began operations.</ref>
The 15th SOS was redesignated the 90th SOS on 23 October
====Kingpin====
[[File:Sontayraiders.jpg|thumb|Mixed formation of helicopters and Combat Talon of the Son Tay rescue operation during a practice mission]]
Two Combat Talons were employed as navigation escorts and for airborne control during ''[[Operation Ivory Coast|Operation Kingpin]]'', the operational phase of the attempted rescue of [[prisoner of war|prisoners of war]] from [[Son Tay]] prison camp in North Vietnam on 21 November
24 primary and five backup crew personnel, all ''Stray Goose''/''Combat Spear'' veterans detached from 7th SOS (''Combat Arrow'') and 1st SOW (''Combat Knife''), developed helicopter-fixed wing formation procedures for low level night missions and jointly trained with selected Special Forces volunteers at [[Eglin Air Force Base]], Florida. Between the end of August and
In early November the task force deployed to [[Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base]],
===Post-Vietnam developments===
In 1974 the Combat Talon program was nearly dismantled as the Air Force sought to reverse its Vietnam emphasis on special operations. The 1st Special Operations Wing was redesignated the 834th Tactical Composite Wing and its Combat Talons of the 8th SOS became a [[Tactical Air Command|TAC]] asset. However the use of 1st SOS "Yank" Talons in a sea surveillance role off [[North Korea]] in 1975 revived interest in the Combat Talon,<ref name="ct160">Thigpen (2001), p. 160.</ref> as did the
By November 1979, the Combat Talon force of 14 MC-130Es was divided among three squadrons, the first two of which were operationally deployed, and the third at Hurlburt essentially the force training squadron:<ref name="ct184">Thigpen (2001), p. 184.</ref>
* [[1st Special Operations Squadron]], Kadena Air Base, Okinawa – (four MC-130 Yanks);
* 7th Special Operations Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany – (four MC-130 Clamps); and
* [[8th Special Operations Squadron]], [[Hurlburt Field]],
====Eagle Claw====
[[File:1st Special Operations Squadron.jpg|thumb|left|
Following the [[Iran Hostage Crisis|seizure of the U.S. embassy]] in [[Tehran]], [[Iran]], on 4 November
The four Talons (including a spare) of the 1st SOS staged to Masirah Island off the coast of [[Oman]] on 19 April
The first phase of the rescue mission began the evening of
====Urgent Fury====
[[File:8th Special Operations Squadron.svg|thumb|left|
Five Combat Talons of the 8th Special Operations Squadron participated in ''[[Operation Urgent Fury]]'', the United States invasion of
In clouds at {{convert|500|ft|abbr=on}} above the sea and {{convert|20|mi|abbr=on}} west of its objective, the lead Talon (64-0562) experienced a complete failure of its APQ-122 radar. Reorganization of the mission formations delayed the operation for 30 minutes, during which U.S. Marines made their amphibious landing. To compound the lack of surprise, the [[U.S. Department of State]], apparently in a [[good faith]] but inept diplomatic gesture, contacted Cuban authorities and compromised the mission, further alerting the defenses, including a dozen [[ZU-23-2]] antiaircraft guns. An [[AC-130 Spectre]] gunship, directed to observe the main runway for obstructions, reported it blocked by construction equipment and barricades. Loadmasters aboard the inbound Combat Talons reconfigured them for a parachute drop in less than thirty minutes.<ref>Thigpen (2001), p. 282.</ref>
Talon 64-0568, flown as ''Foxtrot 35'' by 8th SOS commander Lt Col James L. Hobson<ref>[http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/Biographies/Display/tabid/225/Article/106751/major-general-james-l-hobson-jr.aspx Major General James L. Hobson, Jr.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308121933/http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/Biographies/Display/tabid/225/Article/106751/major-general-james-l-hobson-jr.aspx |date=8 March 2016
===Other Combat Talon operations===
====Just Cause====
[[File:1st Special Operations Wing.svg|thumb|125px|
Talons supported ''[[Operation Just Cause]]'', the United States invasion of [[Panama]] in December 1989 and January 1990.<ref name="fact"/> Three MC-130Es of the 1st Special Operations Wing deployed to [[Hunter Army Air Field]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] within 48 hours of being alerted, then airlanded Rangers of the [[75th Ranger Regiment (United States)|2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment]] into [[Rio Hato]] Military Airfield on 18 December
====Desert Storm====
[[File:MC130E.jpg|thumb|MC-130E Combat Talon I of 711th SOS, 1996–present]]
The 1990 [[invasion of Kuwait]] by [[Iraq]] resulted in the deployment of four Combat Talons and six crews of the 8th SOS in August 1990 to [[King Fahd International Airport]] in
Two 7th SOS Talons deployed to [[Incirlik Air Base]], [[Turkey]], as part of ''Operation Proven Force''. They supported the first [[search and rescue|Joint Search and Rescue]] mission over Iraq, attempting to recover the crew of ''Corvette 03'', a downed [[F-15E Strike Eagle]]. However permission from the Turkish government to fly the mission was delayed for 24 hours, and the crew was not recovered.<ref>Thigpen (2001), p. 361. After the war it was found that both F-15E crewmen had died in the crash.</ref>
===Air Force Reserve Command===
On 6 October
Six MC-130E aircraft went to the 711th SOS over the next year for crew training, and the squadron became operational on 1 March
A Combat Talon I was the first aircraft to land at [[New Orleans International Airport]] after [[Hurricane Katrina]] in August 2005. On
===Retirement===
The MC-130E Combat Talon I has been replaced by the MC-130J Commando II, which has the capability to complete missions faster and more efficiently than its MC-130H Combat Talon II and MC-130P Combat Shadow counterparts. Recapitalization was a stated priority of Lt Gen Donald C. Wurster, former commander of [[Air Force Special Operations Command]].<ref name="rollout">[http://www.afsoc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123250155 "MC-130J rollout accelerates AFSOC recapitalization"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004081035/http://www.afsoc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123250155 |date=4 October 2011
==MC-130H Combat Talon II==
Line 145 ⟶ 138:
====Credible Sport====
{{Main|Operation Credible Sport}}
One of the measures considered for a second hostage rescue attempt in Iran was a project to develop a "Super [[STOL]]" aircraft, to be flown by Combat Talon crews, that would use a soccer stadium near the US Embassy as an improvised landing field. Called [[Operation Credible Sport|''Credible Sport'']], the project acquired three C-130H transports from an airlift unit in late August 1980, one as a test bed and two for the mission, and quickly modified them.<ref>Thigpen (2001), p. 241. C-130Hs used in ''Credible Sport'' were
Designated the XFC-130H, the aircraft were fitted with 30 maneuvering rockets in five sets: eight firing forward to stop the aircraft, eight downward to slow its descent, eight rearward for [[JATO|takeoff assist]], four on the wings to stabilize them during takeoff transition, and two at the rear of the tail to prevent it from striking the ground because of over-rotation. Other STOL features included a dorsal and two ventral fins on the rear fuselage, double-slotted [[Flap (aircraft)|flaps]] and extended [[aileron]]s, a new radome, a [[tailhook]] for landing aboard an [[aircraft carrier]], and Combat Talon avionics, including a TF/TA radar, a defensive countermeasures suite, and a [[Doppler radar]]/[[GPS]] tie-in to the aircraft's [[inertial navigation system]].<ref>Thigpen (2001), pp. 241–244, includes photographs of all the external features.</ref>
Of the three aircraft, only one received full modification. The program abruptly ended when one crashed during testing on
====Testing and delivery====
[[File:MC130H.jpg|thumb|MC-130H Combat Talon II of 15th SOS]]
One of the two surviving ''Credible Sport'' airframes, 74-1686, became the ''YMC-130H'' test bed for the next generation of Combat Talons, under the project name ''Credible Sport II''. Phase I testing, conducted between
The initial purchase was authorized in 1982 at 12 aircraft, even though war-fighting requirements were estimated at more than 100, but was cut from funding until 1984. In 1983, USAF Special Operations Forces were transferred to the [[Military Airlift Command]], seen as another move by USAF to divest itself of its special operations role.<ref>Thigpen (2001), p. 291.</ref> Creation of the 23rd Air Force reinforced that perception; SOF represented less than 35% of its personnel and virtually none of its headquarters staff, dominated by the "rescue community".<ref>Koskinas (2006), p. 123–124, points out that MAC had been forced to virtually combine ARRS and 23AF headquarters because of funding shortages for authorized staff billets, and asserts it was unable to draw on SOF personnel because it had committed itself to TAC to maintain a separate identity for SOF units.</ref> However, the moves did remove the Combat Talon program from three fighter-oriented commands to a single command where promotion cycles were more favorable.<ref>Thigpen (2001), p. 292.</ref>
Line 159 ⟶ 152:
In 1983, MAC established a Special Operations Force Master Plan that called for 21 Combat Talon IIs, including two attrition backups, with initial operational capability in the third quarter of 1987 and full delivery by 1991.<ref>Thigpen (2001), p. 293.</ref> The first Combat Talon II, 83-1212, was delivered in June 1984, but an earlier decision by USAF not to equip it with the navigational radar suite of the MC-130E slowed its development for years. In the meantime, Initiative 17, part of the "31 Initiatives" agreement between the Army and Air Force in May 1984,<ref>Koskinas (2006), pp. 138 and 160. The 31 initiatives were a Memorandum of Agreement that identified 31 ways in three areas—eliminating duplication of effort or merging similar programs, roles and missions, and joint action or cooperation—that would integrate the services' efforts in the [[AirLand Battle]] doctrine for fighting the [[Warsaw Pact]].</ref> was deferred later that year (and eventually killed) after objections from members of Congress who saw it as a divestiture of the SOF role by the Air Force.<ref>Thigpen (2001), p. 294. Initiative 17 would have transferred the entire rotary wing SOF effort over to the Army.</ref> As a result, the Air Force cut procurement of new [[HH-60 Pave Hawk|HH-60D Nighthawk]] combat rescue aircraft from its budget requests—further delaying the Combat Talon II program, whose [[glass cockpit]] and integrated avionics systems were tied, for cost reasons, to those of the HH-60D.<ref name="Thigpen 2001, p. 296"/>
Five Combat Talon IIs were delivered in 1985 but the problem of acquiring a navigation radar had not been resolved (the APQ-122 was no longer being built). [[IBM]] was contracted to develop a new terrain following/avoidance radar, who then subcontracted the task to [[Emerson Electric Company]]. The resulting radar performed so poorly that the Combat Talon II was nearly cancelled, but special operations advocates in Congress kept the program alive. Ultimately the AN/APQ-170(V)8 radar was developed into a system that exceeded specifications, but at a large cost overrun and with a further three-year delay in the Combat Talon II becoming operational.<ref>Thigpen (2001), p. 300. The 1985 deliveries were
===Operations 1993–2000===
The first fully operational MC-130H Combat Talon II (87-0024) was received by the 8th SOS on 29 June
[[File:88-1803 RIAT Bthebest.JPG|thumb|MC-130H Reg.88-1803 at RIAT 2010]]
Three MC-130H Combat Talon IIs of the 7th SOS were deployed in December 1995 to deliver peacekeeping forces to [[Tuzla]] and [[Sarajevo]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], as part of ''[[Operation Joint Endeavor]]'', during which one Talon was hit by ground fire.<ref>Thigpen (2001), pp. 414, 419.</ref> The first combat deployment of a Combat Talon II was on 8 April
Talon II deployments for joint exercises in 1997 included Australia, Guam, Indonesia, South Korea, and Thailand. In July 1997, three Talon IIs deployed to [[Thailand]] as part of ''Operation Bevel Edge'', a proposed rescue of 1000 American citizens trapped in [[Phnom Penh]], [[Cambodia]], by a [[Modern Cambodia#Recent developments|possible civil war]]{{Broken anchor|date=2024-08-03|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Modern Cambodia#Recent developments|reason= The anchor (Recent developments) [[Special:Diff/511368828|has been deleted]].}}, but the crisis ended when the Cambodian government allowed all non-citizens who desired so to leave by commercial air.<ref>Thigpen (2001), p. 429.</ref> A 7th SOS Combat Talon II aircrew, ''Whiskey 05'', earned the [[Mackay Trophy]] for an embassy evacuation mission in the [[Republic of the Congo]] in June 1997. The crew rescued thirty Americans and twenty-six foreign nationals, and logged twenty-one hours of flight time.<ref>{{cite web |last=Schilter-Lowe |first=Merrie |title=Combat Talon II crew receives Mackay Trophy |work=Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs |publisher=Air Force News Service |date=27 May
Full Operational Capability for the Talon II was reached in February 2000. At that time 24 MC-130Hs were deployed to four squadrons:
Line 177 ⟶ 170:
====Afghanistan====
On the night of
A month later, two MC-130Hs, flying from Masirah Island, inserted a platoon of [[United States Navy SEALs|U.S. Navy SEAL Team Three]] and four [[Humvee]] vehicles to within ten miles of the same airfield on the night of
Combat Talon IIs of the 7th SOS, augmented by crews from the 15th and 550th SOSs, flew 13- to 15-hour airdrop and airlanding night resupply missions from Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, to [[Special Forces (United States Army)#Basic Element - SF Operational Detachment-Alpha (ODA) composition|Special Forces Operational Detachments-Alpha]] (ODAs) in Afghanistan during the opening phase of ''[[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|Operation Enduring Freedom]]'' in December 2001. Operating in mountainous terrain, they innovated an airdrop tactic by replicating maximum-effort landing techniques to rapidly descend from {{convert|10000|ft|abbr=on}} to {{convert|500|ft|abbr=on}} AGL to ensure accurate gravity drops after clearing high ridgelines into deep valleys.<ref name="McC2">McCool, John (2005). [http://cgsc.cdmhost.com/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/p4013coll13&CISOPTR=88&CISOBOX=1&REC=1 Interview with Major David Diehl, USAF] {{
====Iraq====
[[File:7th Special Operations Squadron.jpg|thumb|left|
The 7th SOS, commanded by Lt Col Mark B. Alsid and part of the [[352d Special Operations Group]], received the [[Gallant Unit Citation]] in 2006 for operations conducted during [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] between 12 February and 12
On
Overflight permission was granted by Turkey on
=== MC-130H Retirement ===
On April 2, 2023, the United States Air Force retired its last MC-130H Combat Talon II, tail number 89-0280, after delivering the aircraft to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leone |first=Dario |date=2023-04-07 |title=USAF retires its last MC-130H Combat Talon II, #89-0280, after delivering the aircraft to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan AFB |url=https://theaviationgeekclub.com/usaf-retires-its-last-mc-130h-combat-talon-ii-89-0280-after-delivering-the-aircraft-to-the-boneyard-at-davis-monthan-afb/ |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=The Aviation Geek Club |language=en-GB |archive-date=7 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407172358/https://theaviationgeekclub.com/usaf-retires-its-last-mc-130h-combat-talon-ii-89-0280-after-delivering-the-aircraft-to-the-boneyard-at-davis-monthan-afb/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The retirement of the aircraft was witnessed by members of the Talon community, including former crew members and their families, who gathered at Hurlburt Field to see the plane take off for the last time.
The MC-130H was a special operations aircraft that had been in service for more than three decades, performing a variety of missions including infiltration, exfiltration, resupply of special operations forces and equipment, and air refueling operations. The aircraft had played a vital role in AFSOC operations since its arrival in Hurlburt Field in 1992. Its highlights included evacuations of non-combatant Americans and other civilians from conflicts in Liberia in 1996 and the Republic of Congo in 1997. It also participated in combat operations in the Balkans during Operation Allied Force and was used extensively in combat and humanitarian operations worldwide, including operations Enduring Freedom and Inherent Resolve, Resolute Support, Tomodachi in Japan, Unified Response in Haiti, and Sahayogi Haat in Nepal.
The MC-130H was replaced by the MC-130J Commando II. Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, a former commander of the 15th SOS and MC-130H pilot, was on board the aircraft to help deliver it to its final destination and made it a priority to take part in the final flight. After the six-hour flight to Davis-Monthan, the aircrew, including Bauernfeind and 15th SOS Commander Lt. Col. Adam Schmidt, took photos with the aircraft and signed their names on the aircraft's nose.
==MC-130P Combat Shadow==
Line 196:
[[File:MC130P.jpg|thumb|MC-130P Combat Shadow]]
The MC-130P series of aircraft entered service in 1965 during the [[Vietnam War]] as HC-130H CROWN airborne controllers to locate downed aircrew and direct [[Search and rescue|Combat Search and Rescue]] operations over North Vietnam. After tanker equipment was added to 11 HC-130Hs, they entered service as HC-130P [[search and rescue|SAR]] command and control/helicopter aerial refueling aircraft in November 1966. Combat Shadows have been part of the Air Force special operations force since 1986. In February 1996, AFSOC's 28-aircraft tanker fleet was redesignated the '''MC-130P''', aligning the variant with other M-series special operations mission aircraft.<ref name="fact3">{{cite web
Combat Shadows provided air refueling support in Panama to Army and Air Force helicopters during ''[[Operation Just Cause]]''. In 1990, four Combat Shadows of the [[9th Special Operations Squadron]] deployed to [[King Fahd International Airport]], Saudi Arabia for ''Desert Storm'', and three of the [[67th Special Operations Squadron]] to [[Batman Airport|Batman Air Base]], Turkey for ''Proven Force''. Since the Gulf War, the MC-130P has been involved in numerous operations, including ''Northern Watch'' and ''Southern Watch'' (Iraq), ''Deny Flight'' (Yugoslavia), ''Restore Democracy'' and ''Uphold Democracy'' (Haiti), ''Deliberate Force'' and ''Joint Endeavor'' (Bosnia), ''Assured Response'' (Liberia), ''Guardian Retrieval'' (Zaire), ''Enduring Freedom'' (Afghanistan) and ''Iraqi Freedom''.<ref name="fact3"/>
Line 202:
The Combat Shadow flew single or multi-ship low-level air refueling missions for special operations helicopters conducting infiltration, exfiltration, and supply missions, with command and control capability in limited situations.<ref name="fact3" /> The primary emphasis for Combat Shadows was on night operations using NVGs, to reduce probability of visual acquisition and intercept by airborne threats.<ref name="Gallery of USAF Weapons" />
The last two AFSOC MC-130Ps were retired on 15 May
==MC-130W Combat Spear==
[[File:MC-130W Combat Spear taxis at Hurlburt Field (070718-F-6751S-001).jpg|thumb|MC-130W Combat Spear, AF Ser. No. 87-9286, at [[Hurlburt Field]],
[[File:73rd Special Operations Squadron.png|thumb|left|
The MC-130W Combat Spear, unofficially and facetiously nicknamed the "Combat Wombat", performed clandestine or low visibility missions into denied areas to provide aerial refueling to SOF helicopters or to air drop small SOF teams and supply bundles.<ref>{{cite journal |date=May 2008| title = Gallery of USAF Weapons|journal = Air Force Magazine|publisher= Air Force Association|pages= 145–146}}.</ref>
The first of 12 MC-130Ws, AF Ser. No. 87-9286, was presented to Air Force Special Operations Command on 28 June
A standard system of special forces avionics equips the MC-130W: a fully integrated [[Global Positioning System]] and [[Inertial Navigation System]], an AN/APN-241 Low Power Color weather/navigation radar; interior and exterior NVG-compatible lighting; advanced threat detection and automated countermeasures, including active infrared countermeasures as well as chaff and flares; upgraded communication suites, including dual satellite communications using data burst transmission to make trackback difficult; aerial refueling capability; and the ability to act as an aerial tanker for helicopters and [[CV-22 Osprey]] aircraft using Mk 32B-902E refueling pods.<ref name="wombat">{{cite web
The MC-130Ws were assigned to the [[73rd Special Operations Squadron]] at [[Cannon Air Force Base]], [[New Mexico]], with all twelve operational by 2010.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Schanz| first = Marc|date=March 2008| title = Special Operators Head West|journal = Air Force Magazine|publisher= Air Force Association|page= 32}}.</ref> Initially nicknamed the "Whiskey" (NATO phonetic for the "W" modifier), the MC-130W was officially dubbed the Combat Spear in May 2007 to honor the historical legacy of the Combat Talons in Vietnam.<ref name="cs">{{cite web | url = http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/05/airforce_mc130w_combatspear_070515/| title = MC-130P takes historical name|
===MC-130W Dragon Spear===
Operational demands on aging [[Lockheed AC-130|AC-130s]] led the Air Force to seek a replacement until new AC-130Js could enter the fleet. A first idea—acquire and develop an [[Alenia AC-27J|AC-27J
In September 2010, the Air Force awarded a $61
The Dragon Spears were equipped with a [[Bushmaster II
The MC-130W Dragon Spear went from concept to flying with a minimum capability in less than 90 days, and from concept to deployment in 18 months.<ref>[http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20170704074654/http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=5651904&c=SEA&s=TOP SOCOM Moved Quickly To Create Daytime Gunship] Marcus Weisgerber: 8
The first partially converted MC-130W arrived in Afghanistan in late 2010. It fired its first weapon one month after arriving, killing five
==MC-130J Commando II==
[[File:Lockheed Martin MC-130J Commando II with winglets takes off from Eglin Air Force Base in March 2016.jpg|thumb|A MC-130J modified with [[winglets]] takes off from [[Eglin Air Force Base|Eglin AFB]] in March 2016.]]
[[File:20200326 MC-130J
[[File:MC-130J Cockpit.jpg|thumb|{{center|A cockpit view of the MC-130J}}]]
Beginning in 1997, studies of the vulnerability of the non-stealthy MC-130 force reflected concerns about its viability in modern high-threat environments, including the prevalence of [[man-portable air-defense systems]] in [[asymmetric warfare|asymmetric conflicts]]. At least two studies were conducted or proposed to explore the prospect of a replacement aircraft (known variously as "MC-X" or "M-X"), with USAF at that time hoping for an Initial Operating Capability date of 2018.<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/mc-x.htm "MC-X Commando Spirit SOF Future Aircraft"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090903232057/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/mc-x.htm |date=3 September 2009
Despite these concerns, the USAF decided to proceed with modernization of the current force. The Air Force stated it is to build 37 MC-130Js to replace its MC-130Es and MC-130Ps, both of which were 40 years old. Based on the [[KC-130J]] tanker operated by the [[United States Marine Corps]], the new MC-130J has added features for both combat search and rescue and special operations missions,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2010/100419ae_hc130-rollout.html |title=
Production of the first MC-130J aircraft was started at [[Lockheed Martin]]’s facility in Marietta, Georgia, on
▲Despite these concerns, the USAF decided to proceed with modernization of the current force. The Air Force stated it is to build 37 MC-130Js to replace its MC-130Es and MC-130Ps, both of which were 40 years old. Based on the [[KC-130J]] tanker operated by the [[United States Marine Corps]], the new MC-130J has added features for both combat search and rescue and special operations missions,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2010/100419ae_hc130-rollout.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-10-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100426071249/http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2010/100419ae_hc130-rollout.html |archive-date=2010-04-26 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.airforce-magazine.com/Features/modernization/Pages/box100609herk.aspx "New C-130J Model in Spotlight"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303022553/http://www.airforce-magazine.com/Features/modernization/Pages/box100609herk.aspx |date=2012-03-03 }}</ref> introducing major modifications to the Block 6.5 KC-130J. The MC-130J adds an Enhanced Service Life Wing, an Enhanced Cargo Handling System, a Universal Aerial Refueling Receptacle Slipway Installation (UARRSI) boom refueling receptacle, more powerful electrical generators, an electro-optical/infrared sensor, a [[combat systems officer]] (CSO) station on the flight deck, provisions for the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures System, and armor.<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/06/18/224745/lockheed-martin-c-130j-selected-for-new-special-operations.html "Lockheed Martin C-130J selected for new special operations role"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080630214238/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/06/18/224745/lockheed-martin-c-130j-selected-for-new-special-operations.html |date=2008-06-30 }} By [[Stephen Trimble]], Flightglobal, 18 June 2008</ref><ref>[http://cc-130j.ca/2011/lockheed-martin-rolls-out-first-special-operations-mc-130j-combat-shadow-ii/ "Lockheed Martin Rolls Out First Special Operations MC-130J Combat Shadow II"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809054429/http://cc-130j.ca/2011/lockheed-martin-rolls-out-first-special-operations-mc-130j-combat-shadow-ii/ |date=2011-08-09 }} 29 March 2011</ref>
The [[Air Force Special Operations Training Center]] conducted the initial MC-130J training program in conjunction with the [[Pennsylvania Air National Guard]]'s [[193rd Special Operations Wing]], using its four
▲Production of the first MC-130J aircraft was started at [[Lockheed Martin]]’s facility in Marietta, Georgia, on October 5, 2009. Lockheed Martin also contracted to build an HC-130J tanker variant for Air Force Special Operations Command on its standard [[C-130J]] production line. The MC-130J is the first C-130 specifically built for special operations, making it lighter and more efficient. Most special operations aircraft are modified after production to accommodate special operations missions.<ref name="rollout" /> The MC-130J was initially called the Combat Shadow II to honor the service of the aging MC-130P platform that it was replacing but was officially named the Commando II in March 2012.<ref name=CombatShadowII>{{cite web|title=Factsheet MC-130J Commando II|url=http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/FactSheets/Display/tabid/224/Article/104510/mc-130j-commando-ii.aspx|publisher=Air Force.mil|access-date=6 April 2016|date=15 September 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090221/http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/FactSheets/Display/tabid/224/Article/104510/mc-130j-commando-ii.aspx|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>
The [[522nd Special Operations Squadron]] was the first unit to operate the MC-130J Commando II,<ref>[http://www.cannon.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123250842 "522 SOS Fireballs return to Cannon"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724183706/http://www.cannon.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123250842 |date=
▲The [[Air Force Special Operations Training Center]] conducted the initial MC-130J training program in conjunction with the [[Pennsylvania Air National Guard]]'s [[193rd Special Operations Wing]], using its four '''EC-130J Commando Solo'''<ref>{{cite web|title=EC-130J Commando Solo Fact Sheet|url=http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/FactSheets/Display/tabid/224/Article/104535/ec-130j-commando-solo.aspx|publisher=Air Force.mil|access-date=6 April 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402043528/http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/FactSheets/Display/tabid/224/Article/104535/ec-130j-commando-solo.aspx|archive-date=2 April 2016}}</ref> aircraft to develop the training syllabus for MC-130J aircrew members.<ref name=FirstTrainingProgram>{{cite web|last=Arroyo|first=Rachel|title=First MC-130J Training Program Takes Flight|url=http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/114074/first-mc-130j-training-program-takes-flight.aspx|publisher=Air Force.mil|access-date=6 April 2016|date=2 March 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422105159/http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/114074/first-mc-130j-training-program-takes-flight.aspx|archive-date=22 April 2016}}</ref> The MC-130J operates with a 5-member crew, eliminating the CSO navigator and the enlisted flight engineer positions that had been in the Combat Shadow's crew, with the remaining CSO handling electronic warfare as well as the navigation and aerial refueling duties formerly conducted by the navigator and flight engineer.<ref>[http://www2.afsoc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123244674 “First MC-130J training program takes flight”] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719095534/http://www2.afsoc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123244674 |date=2011-07-19 }} by Rachel Arroyo, Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs, 01 Mar 2011</ref> The [[415th Special Operations Squadron]], a unit of the [[58th Operations Group]] at [[Kirtland AFB]], New Mexico, was reactivated on 22 September 2011 as the main training unit for both MC-130J and [[HC-130|HC-130J Combat King II]] crews.
A total of 37 MC-130J aircraft are programmed to replace all other MC-130 variants by the end of the fiscal year 2017. MC-130Js completely replaced Combat Talons at [[RAF Mildenhall]] in 2014 and began replacing those at [[Kadena AB]] in 2015. 20 were in service in FY 2015 with seven additional airframes in production.<ref name="afm2015almanac">{{cite journal|last=Church|first=Aaron |date=May 2016 |title=2016 USAF Almanac: Gallery of USAF Weapons|journal=Air Force Magazine |volume=99 |issue=5| page=76}}</ref> On 26 October 2019, MC-130J Commando II special mission aircraft accompanied [[Joint Special Operations Command]] [[160th SOAR]] MH-60 and MH-47s, which carried 1st SFOD-D and 75th Ranger RRC operators, into Idlib province during the [[Barisha raid]].▼
▲The [[522nd Special Operations Squadron]] was the first unit to operate the MC-130J Commando II,<ref>[http://www.cannon.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123250842 "522 SOS Fireballs return to Cannon"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724183706/http://www.cannon.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123250842 |date=2011-07-24 }} By Airman 1st Class Jette Carr, 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs, 08 April 2011</ref> and achieved Initial Operational Capability in 2012. The first MC-130J, AF Ser. No. 09-6207, undertook its initial test flight on 22 April 2011.<ref>[http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2011/110422ae_new-c130-shadow.html "A New C-130 Shadow in the Sky"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425150007/http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2011/110422ae_new-c130-shadow.html |date=2011-04-25 }} ''Lockheed Martin'' 22 April 2011</ref> The [[522nd Special Operations Squadron]] received its first MC-130J in late September, 2011.<ref>[http://www.cannon.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/4947/Article/207360/afsocs-first-mc-130j-combat-shadow-ii-arrives-at-cannon.aspx "AFSOC's First MC-130J Combat Shadow II arrives at Cannon AFB"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422140823/http://www.cannon.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/4947/Article/207360/afsocs-first-mc-130j-combat-shadow-ii-arrives-at-cannon.aspx |date=2016-04-22 }} retrieved 6 April 2016</ref>
As part of AFSOC’s multimission fleet consolidation the MC-130J Commando II is replacing both [[Lockheed EC-130|EC-130J Commando Solo and Super-J]].
▲A total of 37 MC-130J aircraft are programmed to replace all other MC-130 variants by the end of the fiscal year 2017. MC-130Js completely replaced Combat Talons at [[RAF Mildenhall]] in 2014 and began replacing those at [[Kadena AB]] in 2015. 20 were in service in FY 2015 with seven additional airframes in production.<ref name="afm2015almanac"/> On 26 October 2019, MC-130J Commando II special mission aircraft accompanied [[Joint Special Operations Command]] [[160th SOAR]] MH-60 and MH-47s, which carried 1st SFOD-D and 75th Ranger RRC operators, into Idlib province during the [[Barisha raid]].
==Operational losses==
Line 249 ⟶ 252:
===Combat Talon I losses===
Two of the four aircraft assigned to Project ''Stray Goose'' were lost in combat: 64-0563 was destroyed on
64-0547 was [[Missing in action|missing-in-action]] with its entire 11-man crew on 29 December
64-0558 was lost in a mid-air collision during a night training exercise 15 miles north of [[Conway, South Carolina]] on
Former ''Heavy Chain'' and Desert One veteran 64-0564 crashed into the ocean shortly after a pre-dawn takeoff from [[NAS Cubi Point]], [[Philippines]], on 26 February
===Combat Shadow/Talon II losses===
Combat Shadow 66-0213 (''Ditka 03'') was lost when it flew into a mountain top in eastern Afghanistan on
Combat Talon II 84-0475, assigned to the 15th SOS, was lost in a takeoff crash on
Combat Talon II 90-0161, also of the 15th SOS, crashed into Monte Perucho, south of [[Caguas, Puerto Rico]], during a training mission on
Combat Talon II 85-0012 was severely damaged during a landing accident at [[Qayyarah-West Air Base]], south of [[Mosul]], [[Iraq]], on
A Combat Talon II of the 7th SOS, 87-0127 (''Wrath 11''), crashed during a terrain-following-and-avoidance night training exercise on
==Specifications (MC-
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=USAF factsheet : MC-
|prime units?=imp
<!--
General characteristics
-->
|crew=Two pilots, one Combat Systems Officer (officers), and two Loadmasters (enlisted)
|capacity=
|length ft=
|length in=9
|length note=
Line 285 ⟶ 288:
|span note=
|height ft=38
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqft=
Line 291 ⟶ 294:
|aspect ratio=<!-- sailplanes -->
|airfoil=<!--'''root:''' [[NACA airfoil|NACA ]]; '''tip:''' [[NACA airfoil|NACA ]]<ref name="Selig">{{cite web |last1=Lednicer |first1=David |title=The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage |url=https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html |website=m-selig.ae.illinois.edu |access-date=16 April 2019}}</ref>-->
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
Line 303 ⟶ 306:
-->
|eng1 number=4
|eng1 name=[[
|eng1 type=[[turboprop]] engines
|eng1 shp=
|eng1 note=
|prop blade number=
|prop name=fully-feathering reversible propellers
|prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
Line 315 ⟶ 318:
Performance
-->
|max speed mph=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed mph=417
|cruise speed note=at 22,000 feet
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed note=
Line 325 ⟶ 328:
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed note=
|range miles=
|range note=
|combat range miles=
Line 332 ⟶ 335:
|ferry range note=
|endurance=<!-- if range unknown -->
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=with 42,000 lb payload
|g limits=
|climb rate ftmin=
Line 351 ⟶ 354:
Armament
-->
|bombs=
|avionics=
}}
Line 381 ⟶ 384:
{{Lockheed aircraft}}
{{USAF transports}}
{{USAF system codes}}
[[Category:Lockheed aircraft|C-130, M]]
|