MC-130H Combat Talons with unique drooped nose cone US Airforce officially retired its MC-130E Combat Talons aircraft fleet in a cere...
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| MC-130H Combat Talons with unique drooped nose cone |
US Airforce officially retired its MC-130E Combat Talons aircraft fleet in a ceremony at Duke Field on April 25.
April 25th commemorates the 33rd anniversary of the Operation Claw Eagle to free 52 Americans held captive at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on 24 April 1980.Several of the MC-130E's at Duke Field took part in the mission.
The MC-130 Combat Talons are highly-modified C-130 Hercules transport planes operated by USAF Special Operations.
The aircraft will be now flown to the "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
The MC-130E made its first Air Force flight in 1966 and has taken part in every major U.S. conflict since. The Talon's primary mission was to provide infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operations forces and equipment in hostile or denied territory.
Secondary missions include psychological operations and helicopter and vertical lift air refueling.
The Air Force's last four MC-130E flew their final mission from their home at Duke Field on April 15.
The four Talons took off as two 2-ships carrying more than 40 of the Wing's Airmen who had a long association with the Talon I's and wanted to be a part of the historic final flight.
The retired Combat Talon I are replaced by the MC-130J.
The final flight and the upcoming retirement of the Talons are large steps in the continuing transition to the new Aviation Foreign Internal Defense mission for Air Force Special Operations Command. More than five of the wing's new aircraft, the C-145A, already populate the Duke flightline.
The MC-130E Combat Talon I and MC-130H Combat Talon II features terrain-following and terrain-avoidance radars capable of operations as low as 250 feet in adverse weather conditions. Structural changes to a basic C-130 include the addition of an in-flight refueling receptacle and strengthening of the tail to allow high speed/low-signature airdrop. Their navigation suites include dual ring-laser gyros, mission computers, and integrated global positioning system.
They can locate and either land or airdrop on small, unmarked zones with pinpoint accuracy day or night.
An extensive electronic warfare suite enables the aircrew to detect and avoid potential threats. If engaged, the system will protect the aircraft from both radar and infrared-guided threats.
Both the MC-130E and MC-130H are equipped with aerial refueling pods to provide in-flight refueling of special operations forces and combat search and rescue helicopters and vertical lift assets.
The primary difference between the MC-130E and MC-130H involves the degree of integration of the mission computers and avionics suite.
The Combat Talon I was conceived originally and developed during the 1960s, and although extensively upgraded in the 1980-90s it still features analog instrumentation and does not fully integrate the sensors and communications suites.
The Combat Talon II, designed in the 1980s, features an integrated glass flight deck which improves crew coordination and reduces the crew complement by two.
In 1990, MC-130Es were employed in Operation Desert Storm, where they dropped 11 BLU-82 15,000-pound bombs and more than 23 million leaflets in a highly effective effort to encourage Iraqi soldiers to surrender. They also conducted numerous aerial refuelings of special operations helicopters with combat search and rescue operations.
According to Retired Col. Jerry L. Thigpen, the basis for the aircraft was the need for continued long-range, low-level missions that were required into hostile territories across the globe.
From 1965 to 2000, the weapons system was involved in virtually every major conflict or contingency, including the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm.
It has also operated in Afghanistan.Operation Iraqi Freedom was the last major contingency tasked to Combat Talon I.
