25 MC-130W Combat Spear - a photo on Flickriver

25 MC-130W Combat Spear

            The MC-130W Combat Spear unofficially and facetiously nicknamed the “Combat Wombat,” performed clandestine or low visibility missions into denied areas to provide aerial refuelling to SOF helicopters or to airdrop small SOF teams and supply bundles. The first of 12 MC-130Ws (serial number: 87-9286) was presented to Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) on 28 June 2006. The aircraft was developed to supplement the MC-130 Combat Talon and Combat Shadow forces as an interim measure after several training accidents and contingency losses in supporting the Global War on Terrorism. The program modified C-130H-2 airframes from the 1987-1990 production run, acquired from airlift units in the Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard. The use of the H-2 airframe allowed the installation of SOF systems already configured for Combat Talons without the expensive and time-consuming development that would be required of new production C-130J aircraft, reducing the flyaway cost of the Combat Spear to $60 million per aircraft. The Combat Spears, however, do not have a Terrain Following/Terrain Avoidance capability.

In this image, an MC-130W Combat Spear (serial number: 87-9286) descends through the clouds to begin a refuelling run. This aircraft flew with the 8th Special Operations Squadron (8th SOS) before being converted to an AC-130W Stinger II configuration. While Combat Spear was the official designation for the MC-130W and the unofficial nickname was the Combat Wombat, most aircraft of this variant were known as “Whiskey” (the NATO phonetic for the “W” modifier). Twelve Combat Spear aircraft were produced, and all were upgraded to the MC-130W Dragon Spear configuration.

Taken on: January 15, 2025

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Sets appears in: • Lockheed MC-130 Special Operations Aircraft

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