Amphibious C-130 Won’t Fly For Two To Three More Years
Despite the new delay, U.S. Special Operations Command still has a clear interest in testing an amphibious C-130.
BY
JOSEPH TREVITHICK
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UPDATED MAY 9, 2023 7:16 PM EDT
An initial U.S. military demonstration of an MC-130J special operations tanker/transport aircraft converted into a floatplane is now two to three years away, at least.
U.S. Special Operations Command says it remains interested in exploring this concept as part of its broader interest in new runway-independent aircraft. With large established air bases and their runways expected to be prime targets in any future major conflict, such as one against China, the U.S. military as a whole is increasingly interested in a variety of novel aviation capabilities that make operations from austere locations more feasible.
U.S. Air Force Col. Ken Kuebler, U.S. Special Operations Command's (SOCOM) Program Executive Officer for Fixed Wing (PEO-FW), provided an update on what is formally known as the MC-130J Amphibious Capability, or MAC, as well as other projects within his portfolio, to The War Zone and other outlets at a briefing today at an annual special operations-focused conference now called SOF Week. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) had already confirmed to us earlier this year that the initial flight test of the MAC prototype had been delayed, but that a new schedule had yet to be firmed up.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/mc-130j-seaplane-wont-fly-for-two-to-three-more-years
