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==MC-130E Combat Talon I==
The MC-130E was developed in the early [[1960s]] to augment the Air Force's fleet of [[MC-130P Combat Shadow]] aircraft. While the two aircraft shared similar mission capablities, the MC-130 lacked the instruments and technologies required for operations deep in hostile territory. The Combat Talon I was equipped with an [[electronic countermeasures]] suite and [[terrain-following radar]], enabling it to avoid enemy radar and [[anti aircraft]] weapons. <ref>{{cite web | title =MC-130E Combat Talon I | publisher =GlobalSecurity.org | url =http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/mc-130e.htm | accessdate =December 10, 2006}}</ref> It also featured a [[Fulton
The Combat Talon I first saw operational action in the [[Vietnam War]]. The aircraft was used to drop leaflets over [[North Vietnam|North Vietnamese]] positions, and to insert special forces units into enemy territory. Officially referred to as [[Operation Stray Goose]], the mission required Combat Talon I crews to fly alone and unescorted into dangerous areas. Following the war, the aircraft would remain in active service, with its crews participating in training missions.
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The aircraft would again see action in [[Operation Just Cause]] from [[December 1989]] to [[January 1990]] in the American action to restore democracy in the [[Republic of Panama]]. The success in this operation led the Air Force to retire its fleet of [[Lockheed AC-130|AC-130A Spectre]] [[gunship]], replacing them with the Combat Talon I. This accompanied a shift in focus from [[air interdiction]] and [[close air support]] towards mid-air refueling and special operations support. The transition was finished on [[October 1]], [[1995]], when the last AC-130A was retired from service.
[[Operation Desert Storm]] brought the Combat Talon I into service again. The aircraft performed one-third of all [[airdrop]]s during the campaign, and participated heavily in psychological operations. Combat Talon I crews dropped hundreds of bombs and flew several leaflet-drop [[sorties]] in the war's opening stages, then converted to a [[search and rescue]] role as the conflict progressed.
==MC-130H Combat Talon II==
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