Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Lockheed MC-130
open-in-new
<p>The Lockheed MC-130 is the basic designation for a family of special mission aircraft operated by the <a href="/facts/Air_Force_Special_Operations_Command/23nBz3Dj">United States Air Force Special Operations Command</a> (AFSOC), a wing of the <a href="/facts/Air_Education_and_Training_Command/2AxaGUcd">Air Education and Training Command</a>, and an AFSOC-gained wing of the <a href="/facts/Air_Force_Reserve_Command/ntaKUU2X">Air Force Reserve Command</a>. Based on the <a href="/facts/Lockheed_Corporation/FymLE6jf">Lockheed</a> <a href="/facts/C-130_Hercules/EVzoWXp9">C-130 Hercules</a> <a href="/facts/Military_transport_aircraft/r3AeoD8A">transport</a>, the MC-130s' missions are the <a href="/facts/Infiltration_tactics/dIYHke3w">infiltration</a>, <a href="/facts/Exfil/fCxbTg0C">exfiltration</a>, and resupply of <a href="/facts/Special_operations/Sayr6y81">special operations</a> forces, and the <a href="/facts/Air_refueling/VMV3xXlW">air refueling</a> of (primarily) special operations <a href="/facts/Helicopter/chQF7H55">helicopter</a> and <a href="/facts/Tilt-rotor/eEaMwosw">tilt-rotor</a> aircraft. </p><p>The first of the variants, the MC-130E, was developed to support <a href="/facts/Clandestine_operation/F0jEfqFm">clandestine special operations</a> missions during the Vietnam War. Eighteen were created by modifying C-130E transports, and four lost through attrition, but the remainder served more than four decades after their initial modification. An update, the MC-130H Combat Talon II, was developed in the 1980s from the C-130H and went into service in the 1990s. Four of the original 24 H-series aircraft have been lost in operations. </p><p>The Combat Shadows were built during the Vietnam War for <a href="/facts/Search_and_rescue/pdLTUPgl">search and rescue</a> operations and repurposed in the 1980s as AFSOC air-refueling tankers; the last of the 24 retired in 2015. </p><p>The Combat Spear was developed in 2006 as an inexpensive version of the Combat Talon II but was reconfigured and designated the <a href="/facts/Lockheed_AC-130/jEPXn1t5">AC-130W Stinger II</a> in 2012. </p><p>The MC-130J, which became operational in 2011, is the new-production variant that is replacing the other special operations MC-130s. As of 2023, the Air Force has taken delivery of 57 MC-130J models. The final MC-130J produced was delivered to USAF in January 2025. </p>