Lockheed MC-130
The Lockheed MC-130 is a US military cargo aircraft. It is a very specialized variant of the famous C-130 Hercules, used exclusively by U.S. special forces. It can fly on low altitude. MC-130 are only used by US Air Force.
MC-130 | |
---|---|
MC-130H Combat Talon II | |
Role | STOL Special operations military transport aircraft |
Manufacturer | Lockheed Corporation |
First flight | MC-130J: April 2011 |
Introduction | MC-130E: 1966[1] MC-130P: 1986 MC-130H: 1991 MC-130W: 2006 MC-130J: 2012 |
Status | active |
Primary user | United States Air Force |
Number built | MC-130E: 18[2] MC-130H: 24[2] MC-130P: 28[3] MC-130W: 12[4] MC-130J: 37 |
Unit cost | MC-130E $75 million[5][6] MC-130H $155 million[5] MC-130W $60 million[7] MC-130J $67.3 million[8] |
Developed from | C-130 Hercules C-130J Super Hercules |
The MC-130J, which became operational in 2011, is the new-production variant that is replacing the other special operations MC-130s.[9] As of May 2016, the Air Force has taken delivery of 33 of the planned 37 -J models.[10]
Lockheed MC-130 Media
MC-130E Combat Talon I of the Air Force Reserve's 919th Special Operations Wing taxis to the runway at RIAT 2010
References
- ↑ "Gallery of USAF Weapons". Air Force Magazine, Journal of the Air Force Association. May 2008., p. 148.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Thigpen (2001), p. 461.
- ↑ "Gallery of USAF Weapons". Air Force Magazine, Journal of the Air Force Association. May 2008., p. 145.
- ↑ Putrich, Gayle S. "ARINC Flightsafety on U.S. Air Force Combat Spear Trainer". Training & Simulation Journal. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2009.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "MC-130H Combat Talon II fact sheet". U.S. Air Force. Archived from the original on 2016-04-22. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
- ↑ Thigpen (2001), pp. 49 and 56.
- ↑ "Fact sheet AC-130W Stinger II". Air Force Link. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2016. The MC-130Ws were 87-9286 and 9288, 88-1301 through 1308, 88-1051 and 1057.
- ↑ "Factsheet MC-130J Commando II". Air Force.mil. 15 September 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
- ↑ "First HC/MC-130J Assembled" Archived 2011-07-23 at the Wayback Machine, AIR FORCE Magazine December 2009. Air Force Association. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
- ↑ Church, Aaron (May 2016). "2016 USAF Almanac: Gallery of USAF Weapons". AIR FORCE Magazine. 99 (5)., p.76