Lockheed MC-130

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

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  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