Lockheed MC-130

The MC-130E Combat Talon I, MC-130H Combat Talon II, and MC-130W are four-engine turboprop military cargo aircraft operated by the United States Air Force. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, they are designed to provide infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operations forces, as well as psychological operations support and helicopter air refueling. The Combat Talon I has served since the Vietnam War, including the American military campaigns in Grenada and Panama. The Combat Talon II first entered active service in 1990.

MC-130E Combat Talon I

The MC-130E was developed in the early 1960s. The Combat Talon I was equipped with an electronic countermeasures suite and terrain-following radar, enabling it to avoid enemy radar and anti aircraft weapons. It also featured a Fulton surface-to-air recovery system, which could be used to extract personnel and materials via air. A large helium balloon would raise a nylon lift line into the air, which would then be snagged by a large scissors-shaped assembly on the nose of the plane. The shock experienced is less than that of an opening parachute. Using a hydraulic winch, the crew would then pull the person or object into the plane through the rear cargo door.

The Combat Talon I first saw operational action in the Vietnam War. The aircraft was used to drop leaflets over North Vietnamese positions, and to insert special forces units into enemy territory. Officially referred to as Operation Stray Goose, the mission required Combat Talon I crews to fly alone and unescorted into dangerous areas. Following the war, the aircraft would remain in active service, with its crews participating in training missions.

The aircraft saw action in Operation Eagle Claw (the failure of which demonstrated the United States' poor management of special operation forces after Vietnam and led to the development of the Combat Talon II), Operation Just Cause from December 1989 to January 1990 in the American action to restore democracy in the Republic of Panama.

Operation Desert Storm saw the Combat Talon I in action again. The aircraft performed one-third of all airdrops during the campaign, and participated heavily in psychological operations. Combat Talon I crews dropped several BLU-82 Daisy Cutter bombs and flew several leaflet-drop sorties in the war's opening stages, then converted to a search and rescue role as the conflict progressed.

MC-130H Combat Talon II

The Combat Talon II became operational in the early 1990s, following the Gulf War. Originally designed to replace the Combat Talon I, an increase in the number of special-operations-capable aircraft stalled plans to retire its older cousin. The Combat Talon II features a stronger airframe and modifications to the rear and aft cargo doors. The electronics suite has been upgraded, and includes Global Positioning System navigation, special radars for navigating in adverse weather, and night-vision capability. These new technologies allow the Combat Talon II to fly as low as 250 feet above ground level, and make faster, more accurate airdrops. Increases in automation also reduce the aircrew by two.

The first combat deployment of a Combat Talon II was in 1996 when special operations units were deployed to Liberia. Crews assisted in the evacuation of 2000 civilians from the American embassy when the country broke down into civil war. Similar circumstances brought the Combat Talon II to Zaire, again to evacuate embassy personnel, in 1997. Later that year, MC-130H missions carried commando units into Cambodia.

A Combat Talon II aircrew earned the Mackay Trophy for another embassy mission, this one in the Republic of the Congo in June of 1997. The crew rescued thirty Americans and twenty-six foreign nationals, and involved twenty-one hours of flight time.

MC-130W (name to be determined)

The first MC-130W was presented to Air Force Special Operations Command on June 28, 2006. The aircraft was developed to replace MC-130 Combat Talon combat losses experienced since 1997. The program modifies C-130H aircraft from the 1987 to 1990 year group, which is the same time period as the Combat Talon fleet currently in AFSOC service. The new aircraft will be able to accomplish many of the same missions as the previous ones, plus they have the ability to air-to-air refuel special operations helicopters. The aircraft will eventually be based at AFSOC bases worldwide.

Specifications

Data from United States Air Force Factsheet

General characteristics

• Crew: 7
• Capacity: 77 troops, 52 paratroopers or 57 litter patients
• Length: 99 feet, 9 inches (30.4 meters)
• Wingspan: 132 feet, 7 inches (40.4 meters)
• Height: 38 feet, 6 inches (11.7 meters)
• Max takeoff weight: 155,000 pounds (69,750 kilogram)
• Powerplant: 4× 1 Allison Engine Company T56-A-15 turboprop engines, 4,910 shaft horsepower (3660 kW) each

Performance

• Cruise speed: 300 m/h (482 km/h)
• Range: 2,700 nautical miles (4,344 kilometers)
• Service ceiling: 33,000 feet (10,000 meters)

References

http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=4887

See also

• List of Lockheed aircraft

References

Modern USAF Series
Attack	OA/A-10,AC-130H/U,F-15E
Bomber	B-52,B-2,B-1B,F-117A
Fighter	F-15,F-16,F-22,F-35
Electronic	E-3,-4B,-8C EC-130E/J,H
Transport	C-5,-17,-141B, -20,-21, C-22B, -32, -130, -37A, -40B/C
Trainers	T-1A, -37, -38, -43, -6
Weather	WC-130, -135
UAV	RQ-1/MQ-1 UAV, Global Hawk
Miscellaneous	RC-135V/RC-135W Rivet Joint OC-135B Open Skies KC-10 Extender KC-135 Stratotanker MC-130E/H HC-130P/N MC-130P Combat Shadow MH-53J/M Pave Low HH-60G Pave Hawk UH-1N Huey U-2S/TU-2S VC-25 - Air Force One