Lockheed MC-130

The Lockheed MC-130 is the basic designation for a family of special mission aircraft operated by the United States Air Force Special Operations Command, a wing of the Air Education and Training Command, and an AFSOC-gained wing of the Air Force Reserve Command. Based on the C-130 Hercules transport, their mission is the infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operations forces, and the air refueling of special operations helicopter and tilt-rotor aircraft. Members of the family include the MC-130E Combat Talon I, MC-130H Combat Talon II, MC-130W Combat/Dragon Spear, MC-130P Combat Shadow, and MC-130J Commando II. A possible MC-130 variant, designated the XFC-130H, did not proceed beyond the development stage, but one of its aircraft became the YMC-130H test bed aircraft for the Combat Talon II. The Air Force is requesting acquisition of at least 37 new production MC-130J aircraft to replace the Combat Talon Is and Combat Shadows, with the first ten received in 2011. A total of 69 MC-130J aircraft are planned, which will eventually replace all other MC-130 variants.