Lockheed MC-130

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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 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.

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]

References[change | change source]

  1. "Gallery of USAF Weapons". Air Force Magazine, Journal of the Air Force Association. May 2008., p. 148.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Thigpen (2001), p. 461.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Thigpen (2001), pp. 49 and 56.
  6. "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.
  7. "Factsheet MC-130J Commando II". Air Force.mil. 15 September 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  8. "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.
  9. Church, Aaron (May 2016). "2016 USAF Almanac: Gallery of USAF Weapons". AIR FORCE Magazine. 99 (5)., p.76